NORMAN, Okla. — How many times can a program shock the college baseball world before it’s no longer considered a surprise?
UConn baseball fans across the state and region are asking that question after the Huskies took down heavily favored No. 9 overall Oklahoma twice in three days on the road to secure the Norman Regional crown.
After making a New England Division I record sixth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, UConn now advances to its second super regional in three years and its third since 2011. Next up is No. 8 Florida State; Game 1 is on Friday at noon on ESPN.
While few people expected the Huskies to be making a June business trip to Tallahassee, Fla., longtime UConn baseball Head Coach Jim Penders isn’t caught off guard. UConn baseball is exactly what Penders built it to be – the northeast’s most powerful program and a “national” contender.
“We have been a consistent program. We’re a national program. We’re not just a Northeast program,” Penders said in the postgame press conference following Monday’s victory. “We’re proud to carry the banner for the northeast and we’re really proud of where we come from, but the track record [says] we should be proud of the state of the program.”
What makes UConn baseball unique is its roster building. The Huskies are built differently than most Division I college baseball teams. UConn’s roster consists of nine Division III transfers, including some of its most pivotal players.
For instance, 2024 First Team All-Big East infielder Luke Broadhurst, a graduate student, won a Division III national championship with Eastern Connecticut in 2022. It was Broadhurst’s big home run Saturday evening that separated UConn from Oklahoma in the Huskies’ first victory over the Sooners.
One of the Division III transfers, graduate pitcher Gabe Van Emon, played in the Division III College World Series with Endicott last year. On Monday night, in a winner-take-all regional final, Penders called on Van Emon to start his first game in over six weeks.
When everything mattered most, Van Emon’s postseason experience paid off. He silenced one of the most talented lineups in the country, pitching seven and a third scoreless innings in a nationally-televised game with the season on the line.
Following the game, Van Emon said all he could think about was pitching for as long as he could.
“I believe in myself. I believe in my teammates,” Van Emon said. “I knew there were a lot of arms behind me if needed, so that gave me confidence as well. I just wanted to go as long as I could to help the team win. I had amazing fielders making plays for me all night long. I’m glad we got the win.”
Despite Van Emon’s 6.71 ERA entering the game, Penders said he didn’t hesitate to put the ball in his hand knowing that Van Emon has experience starting NCAA Tournament games at the Division III level.
According to Penders, it doesn’t matter all that much to him what level the experience occurred at. The stakes were most important.
“[When] we recruit guys out of high school, I want to know how long they’ve been the ace on their team and how long they’ve been counted on by their teammates to be the ace,” Penders said. “That’s more important to me than spin rate, than velocity, vertical break, horizontal break. Those all have a place, but it’s how many times has that young man been counted on by his teammates to be the man. And Gabe’s had that experience… I was ecstatic to be able to hand it to a guy that’s had that kind of experience.”
When asked what it means to advance to another super regional, Penders said he was thrilled for the players, the support staff, the training staff, the strength and conditioning staff and all those who have contributed to helping the team play its best ball when the lights shine the brightest.
Although the Huskies created separation Monday against the Sooners, looking at the box scores, UConn didn’t overwhelm its opponents during the Norman Regional. Instead, the team relied on well-timed hitting, clutch pitching, an incredible bullpen and even better fielding to get the job done.
“We played really good defense all tournament,” Penders said. “The defense was there. The clutch hitting was there. Timely hitting; we didn’t get a bunch, but we got enough.”
By putting themselves in the right positions, UConn’s players set themselves up for success. On Monday night, that first glimpse of success came in the shape of a two-run fourth inning home run by senior First Team All-Big East outfielder Korey Morton that gave the Huskies a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Morton, who Penders noted was locked in, deflected the credit and praised the coaching staff, which he considers to be the best in the country. Even when the season teetered early in nonconference play with the lowest point being a sweep at the hands of UC Santa Barbara, Morton said the coaches remained consistent and uplifting.
“They coached the same that day as they did today, and I think that really allowed us to be where we are today,” Morton said. “We just have some unbelievable coaches in that dug out who always believe in our guys, and it’s just a great program and atmosphere to be around.”
Before Penders shifted focus to Florida State, who he considers a great program with amazing fans, UConn’s skipper reflected once more on his roster and the formula he uses to make special baseball seasons more common in Storrs than they have been in generations.
He also spoke on resources he needs to maintain the bar he has set.
“[We recruit] guys from really good families with their priorities in order. Then, we try not to screw them up; let them be who they are, and the rest takes care of itself,” Penders said, noting that, “[The program has] got to get NIL money and do more with that if we want to stay at this level and compete and get better and win at Omaha… I’m not naïve enough to think that we’re not going to need even more if we’re going to continue to build this.”
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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