Husky Baseball Weekly: Swept in Scottsdale
Hints of last year's 0-5 start linger from a winless opening weekend.
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Warm weather, cold play
For the second-straight year, UConn went winless in its first series as the nation celebrated the first weekend of college baseball.
The Huskies spent the weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona, matching up with Nebraska, Kansas State, and Air Force in the MLB Desert Invitational. Despite the warmer weather, Jim Penders’ squad went cold, dropping all three.
Last week, Daniel Connolly spoke with Jim Penders about how the Northeast cold affected the Huskies’ preseason training, and Zach Carter offered the most thorough preview of this team that anyone has published, highlighting the mass of newcomers and key returning stars as Penders looks to return to the NCAA Tournament and the top of the Big East.
Over the weekend, the Huskies were mercy-ruled on Friday, losing by 10+ runs on Opening Day for the first time since 2015. The bats struggled against a trio of Cornhuskers pitchers, recording just four hits in the 12-2 loss.
Tyler Minick, who looked comfortable patrolling centerfield for the first time in his career, and Maddix Dalena knocked in the two runs.
Charlie West got the start on the mound, but struggled with command, walking four batters and hitting two. His six strikeouts highlighted his punch-out potential, but five earned runs over 3 ⅔ innings portrayed an otherwise ugly line.
Nebraska poured in 12 runs on 16 hits, and the game was called after the seventh inning.
On Saturday, the Huskies entered the eighth inning ahead and seemed primed to secure the win. Instead, a brutal breakdown left the Huskies heartbroken on Valentine’s Day.
UConn’s one-run lead built on Caden Suchy’s brilliant start — 6 IP, 9 Ks, 2 ERs — vanished as Kansas State tacked on five runs in the frame. A hit by pitch, a throwing error, and a passed ball tied the game, and three more hits and another walk capped the Wildcats’ knockout punch of righty Paxton Meyers.
The Brown transfer made his UConn debut after missing all of 2025 with injury, surrendering all five runs in the eighth after coming on in relief of Suchy in the seventh.
The pitching again was rocky on Sunday. The bullpen turned in solid results, just one earned run in 5 2/3 innings, but UConn could not overcome Oliver Pudvar’s sluggish start. The oft-reliable lefty who broke out last year surrendered seven earned runs, including four allowed in the opening frame, on three hits, five walks, and two hit batsmen in just 3 1/3 innings.
UConn tacked on five in the fourth, but missed a chance to make it a contest. With the bases loaded, Evan Menzel drove a deep fly ball to right field that died out on the warning track, good enough for a sac fly and his second RBI on the day, but not enough to make it a ball game.
The Huskies mustered one run over the final five innings as the game ended 12-6 to drop them to 0-3.
Photo: UConn Athletics
Takeaways
The Huskies looked outmatched offensively and sloppy defensively. UConn committed at least one error in each of the three games, culminating in five unearned runs for their opponents. The circumstances leading up to the weekend, while not fully responsible, must have played a role.
UConn was primarily practicing inside in the Shenkman Training Center, and did not get outside much due to the blistering cold. There is only so much you can replicate in a narrow building without any weather conditions being a factor, such as the windy conditions in Arizona, playing under the lights at night, etc. Teams that play in other parts of the country are practicing outside and don’t have to travel far to start the season.
With UConn playing in a pair of MLB spring training facilities, the invitational served as a vital chance to get outside consistently for the first time, almost like the MLB exhibitions. While the games count against their record nonetheless, the weekend was an important first step towards where the Huskies expect to end up.
It was also our first chance to see what the rebuilt lineup might look like. While Jim Penders has said his favored nine does not usually materialize until April, the sheer mass in departures from last season left many holes to fill.
Many new Huskies debuted, all to varying levels of success. Evan Menzel got the Opening Day start at second base and rewarded his skipper with a .429 average across the three games. Jackson Marshall got the nod at first base against Nebraska before DH’ing the final two games. Fellow SNHU transfer Nater Wachter held down left field as both struggled immensely. The two combined for two hits across 14 at-bats with eight strikeouts. Peyton Jemison, receiving a lone start at third against Kansas State, fanned three times and collected an RBI knock.
Weekend Winners
Despite an otherwise forgettable few days on the field, there were multiple standout performers:
Cayden Suchy — Suchy’s continued development is exciting. He had earned a spot in the weekend rotation last year as a freshman before an injury sidelined him. The Virginia native can reach the mid-90s with his fastball, and this kind of performance likely isn’t a mirage.
Tyler Minick — Minick picked right back up where he left off in 2025, reaffirming his role as an offensive leader in the new-look Huskies lineup. The junior went 6-14 across the three games, notching a double and adding two RBIs.
The versatile defender also added a new tool to his kit, starting in the outfield for all three contests, primarily in center. Minick had never previously started a regular-season game in the outfield, but with the influx of infield talent for UConn and turnover in the outfield, he provides a proven presence on the grass.
The 2025 second-team All-Big East member will be looking at better awards and recognition if he continues playing like this, and mixes in some of the pop that saw him go deep 18 times last season.
Evan Menzel — The Maine transfer immediately staked his claim at second base and has produced accordingly. The sophomore got on base in a third of his plate appearances, scoring two runs and driving another in. Though he struggled a bit defensively, the versatile infielder has extensive experience at both third and shortstop and will be a weapon as a mainstay on the dirt.
Maddix Dalena — Dalena returned to the UConn lineup after a mostly lost season in 2025, playing both infield corners and contributing offensively in all three contests. The redshirt junior picked up three hits and three RBIs on the weekend, recording a double and two walks.
Dalena was expected to have a big 2025 season for the Huskies, named preseason Big East Player of the Year, but hit .235 through mid-March before missing the rest of the year with a wrist injury. Perhaps that prediction needed another year to come true.
Charlie Hale — Hale got into two games over the weekend as a mop-up, bulk-inning reliever and performed admirably in both.
He pitched a combined 4 ⅓ innings of one-run ball while recording three strikeouts. Look for him to serve as rotation depth or work into a bigger bullpen role as the season moves forward.
Crystal Ball 🔮
In years past, this has usually been the section where Shawn talks about UConn’s RPI and how it compares to the other teams around the Big East. Alas, Shawn has retired from blogging, and it’s early in the season. We can hold off on that for now.
However, we do have Bracketology!
D1Baseball released its first projection prior to the weekend, with UConn tabbed as a No. 3 seed in the Conway Regional in South Carolina, alongside No. 1 Coastal Carolina, No. 2 Ole Miss, and No. 4 High Point.
Baseball America’s preseason projection places the Huskies slightly north in Virginia’s Charlottesville Regional, also a No. 3 seed. No. 1 Virginia, No. 2 Oklahoma, and No. 4 Wright State round out the group of four.
The Huskies played 10 teams against last year’s Field of 64, and are surely bound to face more as the months roll on. Heck, they might have just played one or two this weekend. We’ll be sure to have you covered on where the Huskies could end up come June as the season progresses.
On Deck
Up next, the Huskies are staying in the desert. They play Arizona State on Tuesday night before a four-game series against the Arizona Wildcats starting on Thursday.
Tuesday 2/17: at ASU Sun Devils, Tempe, AZ, 8:35 p.m. ET, ESPN
Thursday 2/19: at Arizona Wildcats, Tucson, AZ, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Friday 2/20: at Arizona Wildcats, Tucson, AZ, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Saturday 2/21: at Arizona Wildcats, Tucson, AZ, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Sunday 2/22: at Arizona Wildcats, Tucson, AZ, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN
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