Pierre LePage fields a ball and throws to first base on April 1 against Boston College.

UConn on a wild ride throughout the Big East Tournament

By: Kevin Vellturo

Posted: 6/15/09

After playing to a sixth place regular-season finish in the Big East, the UConn baseball team rode late-season momentum to the Big East Championship game.

The Huskies ended the season as winners of their last seven games, which slated them for a first round match up with West Virginia. The Mountaineers traveled to Storrs for the first Big East series of the season back in March, and it did not go as planned. The Huskies dug themselves an early hole by getting swept.

History would not repeat itself as the Huskies upset the third-seeded Mountaineers 6-1. It was not easy, however. UConn was down to its final six outs and was in danger of being shutout before they exploded for six runs in the eighth inning.

Pierre LePage sparked the offense by going 3-for-4 from the lead-off spot and George Springer added two RBIs.

Playing from behind is something the Huskies have been used to all season, especially getting off to a slow start. Coach Jim Penders praised their ability to battle back after the game.

"We kept grinding and kept coming at them which is something we've been doing all year," Penders said. "Eventually we had enough execution in the eighth inning to get it done."

After ascending to the winners bracket, UConn took on second-seeded South Florida in the second round - a team they had taken two out of three from earlier in the year. UConn had to take two from the Bulls once again to advance to the title game.

The Huskies took the first game 4-2, behind a sixth-inning home run from Mike Nemeth. It was sophomore shortstop Mike Olt who lifted UConn past South Florida 10-8 in game two. Olt went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs in the win. The win propelled the Huskies to the Big East Championship game and a matchup against regular season champ Louisville - a team UConn did not have to play in the regular season.

A berth in the NCAA Regionals was denied to the Huskies, however, as Louisville jumped all over UConn in the championship game and came away with an 11-3 win as well as the Big East crown.

While admittedly happy with the late-season run, Penders wondered what could have been had his team not gotten off to a slow start.

"I was happy that we finally played to our potential," Penders said. "We were playing well at the right time - we just came up short. If we had got off to a better start, who knows what could have happened."

Perhaps the reason for late surge was a loose atmosphere in the dugout, which was no more evident than during an extensive rain delay against South Florida. Both teams were not content to sit in the dugout and listen to the pounding beats of music, but instead braved the rain to take part in an a West Side Story-esque dance-off.

The display got national attention, even being featured on Pardon the Interruption. Penders said it helped keep his team from tensing up.

"A lot of teams freeze up when they get in the post-season," Penders said. "When you start believing in yourself you can be loose."

Though just short of a Big East championship, the Huskies return a long list of players next season - including Mike Olt, Pierre LePage and Big East Rookie of the Year George Springer.