Dalena blast the difference in UConn’s 6-5 win over Villanova

UConn’s Maddix Dalena #43 celebrates his two-home run with Jackson Marshall #31 in the bottom of the eighth inning. | Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog UConn (31-23, 14-5 Big East) opened their most important series of the regular season on Thursday night by holding on to a 6-5 nail-biter against Villanova (18-29, 4-15 Big East). Though the Wildcats tried to claw their way back at multiple junctures, an eighth inning two-run home run from Maddix Dalena to extend the Huskies’ one-run lead to three put the nail in Villanova’s coffin.

Dalena’s sky high fly ball sent right fielder Aidan Barry creeping back towards the wall. With Barry running out of room, the ball just kept carrying for the Huskies to pick up a pair of insurance runs. Jackson Marshall had reached to lead off the eighth with a double into left field.

Those two runs proved to be the difference, as Villanova picked up a pair to start the ninth and once again pulled within one. Collin Quintano became the third player in the Big East and first non-Husky to reach double-digit home runs on the year with a one out, two-run shot in the ninth to make it a one-run game. The utilityman deposited a pitch that Huskies reliever Charlie Hale left in the middle of the zone into the visitor’s bullpen.

That long ball prompted some action from the home bullpen, as relief ace Greg Shaw III came in to replace Hale after 2. 1 uneven innings. Shaw ended the evening just as quickly as he entered, sitting down the first two Villanova batters he faced on strikes to seal a win in the series opener and secure his fourth save of the season.