At 6-6, Carson Cross would become a long, lean force on the hill for UConn Baseball and Coach Jim Penders in his time as a Husky....and help UConn win an AAC Tournament in 2015...But his road like many had a few speed bumps to get there..
Carson is a New Hampshire Native...Brentwood, NH and Exeter High School..All State pitcher his Senior Year who also lettered in Football in addition to being a scholar athlete in both sports...His Dad Jeff played hoops at Maine and had a stint in the NBA with the Clippers...His Mom Carol was a member of the U.S. National Freestyle Ski Team..He arrived in Storrs in the fall of 2010 and redshirted as a Freshman in 2011. So rather than join the Huskies in the NCAA Tournament run, went an played Summer ball with Hyannis of the Cape League...where Jim Penders called his development "spring boarded" for 2012 .
Out of the pen and the occasional weekday spot start, Cross made 18 appearances in 37 innings of work..Got his first win at Lipscomb in March, picked up a win against Notre Dame with 5.1ip and 5 k in May...And added another 5.2ip in a no decision against USF in the Big East Tournament...ending the season with a 3-1 record and a team low 1.21 era....
It set up 2013 to become a starter with Anthony Marzi...a Team High 9 wins, one complete game and a 2.44era in 110 innings of work...his 86k second in the Big East...And very durable as in 15 of his 16 starts, Carson Cross was good for at least 6 innings of work..This very competitive righty had an unhittable slider...In the postseason when the Huskies made their last Big East Tournament run as the 8 seed, he went 9 solid innings as the Huskies beat Top Seeded Louisville in Extra innings n day one... and in his final start of 2013, he beat top seeded Virginia Tech, going 6.1ip allowing a run on three hits. At season's end, he earned the Team's Allen Pitching Award..And he was drafted by the Pirates in the 24th round in the MLB Amatuer Draft...
All good for 2014 right ?? Unfortunately his right shoulder didn't agree as he got hurt in a freak flag football incident, which is something Jim Penders encourages....He missed the season after surgery. But as Jim Penders put it, he came back better in 2015...And he was a "leader too..Was very emotionally charged leader and delighted in his teammates' success." And the numbers in his final season backup up the "better" part...A 10-2 record with a 2.29 era and hitters had just a .206 average against him...in 106 innings of work, Cross became the 4th Husky to strike out 100 batters or more when he fanned 108 batters...Among the highlights, a complete game effort against FIU in March where he struck out 15...the most by a UConn pitcher since Charles Nagy in 1988. 11k's against Kennesaw State..8.2 shutout innings in a win at Seton Hall that was followed by 7 scoreless innings in a win at Tulane. Twice, he threw a pair of 7 inning efforts against UCF and struck out 9 in 8 innings in a win at East Carolina....Not only did he win the team award at Pitcher of the Year, Carson Cross earned the AAC Pitcher of the Year along with 1st Team All Conference Honors, the NEIBA New England Pitcher of the Year and a Louisville Slugger & ABCA/Rawlings 3rd Team All American with teammate Vinny Siena. At season's end, Cross again drafted...this time by the Cardinals in the 14th round in 2015...
After a two year stint in the Minors, Carson Cross is now a pitching coach in the Milwaukee Brewers Organization...A young man who "had a cerebral approach to everything he did...very intuitive and dedicated to his craft" according to Coach Penders...Carson Cross...An All American Pitcher in 2015 and a UConn Legend