The University of Connecticut baseball team secured at least a share of the 2026 BIG EAST regular season title after defeating Villanova 8-0 in front of 1,047 fans at Elliot Ballpark on May 15.
With this victory, UConn improved its record to 32-23 overall and 15-5 in the BIG EAST. The team can clinch the No. 1 seed for next week’s BIG EAST Championship in Mason, Ohio, with either another win or a St. John’s loss on Saturday. The lowest seed UConn can now finish is No. 2.
Chris Polemeni led the Huskies’ offense by driving in four runs, including his ninth home run of the season that opened scoring in the second inning. He later hit a bases-clearing double in the seventh to extend UConn’s lead to eight runs. Rob Rispoli added a three-run home run in the third inning, marking his second homer of the year.
Pitcher Cayden Suchy delivered his ninth quality start this season, allowing only four hits and no walks while striking out three batters over six shutout innings and throwing just 66 pitches. Frank Spirito contributed two more scoreless innings with two strikeouts before Austin Trumpour closed out the game with a clean ninth inning.
The Huskies pitching staff recorded their fifth shutout of the year and did not commit an error for their twenty-first error-free game this season. The team has now clinched at least a share of its sixth consecutive regular season championship and holds a strong record when hitting multiple home runs.
UConn will attempt to sweep Villanova and secure an outright BIG EAST regular season title on Saturday, May 16.
