MASON, Ohio – Top-seeded Connecticut kickstarted the 2023 BIG EAST Baseball Championship Presented by Jeep with a thrilling 5-4 victory over No. 4 seed Georgetown Wednesday afternoon at Prasco Park.

After a pair of scoreless innings, it was the Huskies who broke through first in the bottom of the third when junior shortstop Bryan Padilla picked up an RBI on a ground out, sending junior left fielder Korey Morton home for 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, senior second baseman Paul Tammaro doubled the UConn lead with the weekend’s first home run.

Not going away quietly, Georgetown senior third baseman Angelo D’Acunto homered to left field to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the fifth. In the very next inning, senior short stop Austin Kretzschmar blasted a two-run homer down the right field line, as Georgetown took its first lead of the game 3-2.

UConn stormed back in the bottom of the seventh with the game’s fourth consecutive home run, as senior designated hitter Luke Broadhurst smacked one into right center field to even the score back at 3-3.

Georgetown senior center fielder Zaid Walker joined in with a home run of his own in the top of the eighth, to place the Hoyas back in the lead 4-3.

The Huskies chipped away at the deficit in the bottom of the eighth, first with BIG EAST Player of the Year Dominic Freeberger collecting an RBI single to send junior center fielder David Smith home for the tying run. Moments later Senior right fielder Jake Studley earned an RBI single to send Freeberger home for the game-winning run.

In the top of the ninth, UConn closing pitchers Zach Fogell and Justin Willis tag teamed on the mound to secure the 5-4 win.

The Huskies will return to the field Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. ET in the BIG EAST semifinal against the winner of Wednesday’s evening match between No. 2 seed Xavier and No. 3 seed Seton Hall.

The Hoyas will play in an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.

All games will stream live on the BIG EAST Digital Network available on FloSports.