Spring Break
Historic field setting for Springer homecoming
Chris Brodeur
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: Sports
NEW BRITAIN - Coach Jim Penders was looking for an opportunity for redshirt sophomore Greg Nappo to toss a couple innings, take on some hitters, and put Sunday's dismal outing behind him. The lefty from Madison had been shelled in the finale of a three-game set with St. John's over the weekend - his run-total (eight) exceeding the number of outs he was able to record (seven).
Yesterday afternoon seemed like a good spot for Nappo to gain back some confidence, with UConn leading 9-4 in the seventh inning of a game against Central Connecticut that they had led from the start. Instead, the southpaw found himself on the receiving end of a barrage of hits from the Blue Devils that almost cost the Huskies a non-conference victory against their in-state rivals.
"We wanted to get him back out on the mound," said Penders. "When you have a bad one, a competitor wants to get back on the mound and Greg's a competitor. He hasn't been used to coming back after short rest, obviously his stuff was not him. He left a couple pitches up and all the sudden it's 9-6 and we gotta go to David Erickson to get us a five-out save."
Central Connecticut's Kyle Zarotney led off the inning against Nappo by pounding a double off the base of the wall in left center, which was followed by a two-run homer by catcher Sean Connors. Nappo departed with the bases loaded and senior captain David Erickson allowed just one inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly before shutting the Blue Devils down to earn his sixth save.
Nappo has struggled to find consistency this season after missing all of 2008 with an injury to his throwing arm. With Sunday's loss, his record stands at 2-4 for the year with an ERA hovering around eight.
Beehive beginnings
The Huskies played Wednesday's game at Beehive Field, a ballpark once home to the New Britain Red Sox - the former Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Future Red Sox greats Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Curt Schilling and Mo Vaughn all stopped in New Britain en route to big league careers that found them in Fenway Park.
Yesterday afternoon seemed like a good spot for Nappo to gain back some confidence, with UConn leading 9-4 in the seventh inning of a game against Central Connecticut that they had led from the start. Instead, the southpaw found himself on the receiving end of a barrage of hits from the Blue Devils that almost cost the Huskies a non-conference victory against their in-state rivals.
"We wanted to get him back out on the mound," said Penders. "When you have a bad one, a competitor wants to get back on the mound and Greg's a competitor. He hasn't been used to coming back after short rest, obviously his stuff was not him. He left a couple pitches up and all the sudden it's 9-6 and we gotta go to David Erickson to get us a five-out save."
Central Connecticut's Kyle Zarotney led off the inning against Nappo by pounding a double off the base of the wall in left center, which was followed by a two-run homer by catcher Sean Connors. Nappo departed with the bases loaded and senior captain David Erickson allowed just one inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly before shutting the Blue Devils down to earn his sixth save.
Nappo has struggled to find consistency this season after missing all of 2008 with an injury to his throwing arm. With Sunday's loss, his record stands at 2-4 for the year with an ERA hovering around eight.
Beehive beginnings
The Huskies played Wednesday's game at Beehive Field, a ballpark once home to the New Britain Red Sox - the former Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Future Red Sox greats Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Curt Schilling and Mo Vaughn all stopped in New Britain en route to big league careers that found them in Fenway Park.
Be the first to comment on this story