Who are UConn baseball's midweek starters?
The Huskies will need to get deeper in the rotation to be successful this season.
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Who are the candidates for UConn’s weekday starter?
Heading into the meat of its non-conference schedule, UConn baseball is due to hit its busiest week of baseball so far with a three-game series against UC Santa Barbara to kick off its Golden State spring break, followed by midweek games against UCLA and UC Irvine before finishing up with a weekend series at Cal Baptist.
The games on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week will offer the first opportunity to look at who the Huskies midweek starters will be for at least the start of 2024.
Gabe Van Emon
Van Emon is a graduate transfer from Endicott who arrived to Storrs with high hopes from the coaching staff after dominating Division III as a weekend starter with a career 2.48 ERA, 11.07 K/9 and just a 1.10 WHIP.
The Lexington, Massachusetts native has already made an impact out of the bullpen for the Huskies, playing a major part in their only win of the last two weeks against Auburn. Van Emon entered in the second game of the doubleheader in relief of starter Ian Cooke and tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and striking out six to earn the win.
Van Emon brings a left-handed option to the Huskies’ weekday rotation possibilities, and while there’s a world in which UConn might want to save him for high-leverage situations out of the bullpen, Van Emon is a solid option.
Jack Sullivan
The second spot in the midweek rotation is more up for grabs, and Sullivan is one of two UConn pitchers with experience starting games who should vie for that position.
Sullivan made 10 starts in 14 appearances in 2023 and had a 5.36 ERA through 44 1/3 innings pitched, including wins against Ohio State, at Hawai’i and San Diego State.
A 6-foot right hander from Carmel, New York, Sullivan has a fastball in the low 90s and a wipeout slider as his strikeout pitch. He’s made limited appearances so far in 2024 with two appearances totaling 2 1/3 innings against California and Auburn, but his experience as a starter makes him a candidate for that role next week against UCLA or UC Irvine.
Thomas Ellisen
After redshirting his freshman year in Storrs, Ellisen emerged as a bullpen and weekday starter option for the Huskies in 2023, making 18 appearances and garnishing three starts over the course of the year with a 4.76 ERA.
The Wisconsin native has some serious potential as an arm for UConn, standing 6-foot-4 with a fastball approaching the mid 90’s and a complete four-pitch repertoire.
Ellisen has been slow to put it together so far in 2024, allowing six earned runs through his last two appearances against California and Auburn, but his tools and high upside will keep him in the conversation for weekday starter going forward.
Around the Big East
Until RPI is viable, which comes in mid-April, this space will take a look at what each Big East team has been doing in the early part of the season.
Butler
Morehead State has some unique dimensions, which can make for some high-scoring games. Fifteen runs is usually enough, but the Eagles put 27 on the board on Saturday to take the series. However, a three-run ninth was enough for Butler to stave off the sweep. Friday’s 11-6 result was the lowest-scoring affair, with another barnburner loss to Purdue- Fort Wayne in the midweek. The Bulldogs will be in Memphis this weekend for a game each against Memphis, Jackson State and Presbyterian.
Creighton
Creighton spent a second straight weekend in Sugar Land, Texas and dominated the service academies in the Battle at the Ballpark with wins over Army and Air Force, though Louisiana Tech got the better of the Bluejays on Saturday. They also secured two wins over UMass Lowell in the midweek to start 9-1. Portland comes to town this weekend to continue a 10-game homestand.
Georgetown
Fairleigh Dickinson was no match for the Hoyas, as they earned a sweep in their first games at Capital One Park in Virginia, their new home field. The Knights scored just four runs across Saturday and Sunday. They narrowly lost to No. 1 Wake Forest in the midweek, while a game against Duke was cancelled. Georgetown is back home for three games against Cornell this weekend.
St. John’s
The Red Storm ended their Texas trip on a bright note, taking two of three from Sam Houston State, following a 1-3 start. St. John’s also dominated Iona at home in the midweek. Hofstra will make the arduous 16-mile journey from Hempstead to Jamaica, Queens this weekend.
Seton Hall
Seton Hall is off to a 7-4 start after a split with FIU in a four-game set. The Pirates hit double digits in the series’ first two games, but the offense was shut down in the second half, causing the split. North Florida is on the docket this weekend, with no midweek games this week.
Xavier
Xavier couldn’t complete the sweep of Florida Gulf Coast, as the Eagles grabbed a one-run victory on Sunday after the Musketeers put up 19 runs between Friday and Saturday. They were in Ruston to play two against Louisiana Tech in the midweek were able to split. No. 2 LSU and a weekend at Alex Box Stadium looms this weekend.
Villanova
Going out west didn’t do Villanova any favors, as Loyola Marymount took two of three the Wildcats, shutting down their offense in the first two games. UC Santa Barbara did the same in the midweek, with a 10-1 victory. Villanova will stay in SoCal and battle with Pepperdine this weekend.
Non-conference opponents
California’s positive momentum was slowed in Las Vegas over the weekend, as the Golden Bears went 0-2 against Ohio State and Pittsburgh in the Las Vegas Baseball Classic, though they did win a non-conference battle over Stanford.
This weekend’s foe, UC Santa Barbara, has won three of four after taking a road series against Oregon and a dominating win over Villanova in the midweek.
Cal Baptist spent the weekend taking three of four from UC Davis at home, but No. 23 UC Irvine snagged a midweek over the Lancers.
It’s been a hot start for Rutgers, which is 9-2 in the early going this season. The Scarlet Knights took two of three from Charleston Southern over the weekend and won a midweek game over Wagner.
While none of the opponents have been powers, Louisville has won seven straight and has started to right its season before ACC play in two weeks. Indiana State had a tough weekend at Southern Miss that has temporarily halted positive momentum.
UCLA has had a rough go of it this season, at just 5-6. Pac-12 play begins this weekend against California. However, No. 23 UC Irvine has been playing well, with a win over the Bruins and a perfect 10-0 record, one of four teams in the country to not yet lose.
The Week Ahead
Friday: at UC Santa Barbara; 7:05 p.m. ET; ESPN+
Saturday: at UC Santa Barbara; 6:05 p.m. ET; ESPN+
Sunday: at UC Santa Barbara; 4:05 p.m. ET; ESPN+
Tuesday: at UCLA; 9 p.m. ET; Pac-12 Networks
Wednesday: at UC Irvine; 9 p.m. ET; ESPN+
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