GERALDTON, Ont. (Interstat) — Cayden Suchy pitched six shutout innings and Chris Polemeni drove in four runs Friday afternoon as Connecticut routed Villanova 8-0 in a Big East baseball game at Elliot Ballpark.

The Huskies improved to 32-23 overall and 13-11 in conference play. The Wildcats fell to 18-30 and 6-18.

Suchy, a right-hander, allowed four hits and struck out three without issuing a walk. He threw 79 pitches, 53 for strikes. The outing marked his second straight strong start after he threw 2 1/3 hitless innings at Seton Hall on May 9 and allowed two earned runs over seven innings against East Tennessee State on May 2.

Connecticut broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning when Polemeni, the designated hitter, drove a 1-1 pitch over the right-field wall for a solo home run. It was his ninth homer of the season.

The Huskies added four runs in the third. Cam Righi reached on a bunt single and advanced on a wild pitch. Jack Marshall walked, and both runners moved up on another wild pitch. Maddix Dalena walked to load the bases. Rob Rispoli then launched a 1-0 offering over the left-field fence for a three-run homer, his seventh of the year, scoring Marshall and Anthony Belisario, who had singled earlier in the inning.

Villanova threatened in the fourth when JoJo Montgomery doubled to left-center with one out and stole third, but Suchy struck out Collin Quintano and got Michael Whooley to fly to center.

The Wildcats’ best scoring chance came in the sixth. Montgomery doubled down the left-field line, and Brayden Leonard singled up the middle. Montgomery was thrown out at third trying to advance, and Leonard was caught stealing moments later.

Connecticut added an unearned run in the fourth. Peyton Jemison reached on an error by Villanova shortstop Larry Hotaling, stole second, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Nater Wachter’s single to left.

The Huskies blew the game open in the seventh. Belisario led off with a ground-rule double to right-center. After two outs, Dalena walked and Rispoli was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Polemeni cleared them with a double to left-center, driving in three runs for an 8-0 lead.

Villanova managed five hits off four UConn pitchers. Montgomery went 2 for 4 with two doubles. Larry Hotaling singled twice. Wildcats starter Jack Kelley lasted three innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Will Parkinson gave up three runs over 3 2/3 innings, and Bobby Finn threw 1 1/3 hitless frames with two strikeouts.

For Connecticut, Frank Spirito tossed two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out two. Austin Trumpour pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout. Belisario collected two hits and scored two runs.

The win gave Connecticut its second straight victory in the three-game series. Villanova had rallied for five runs Thursday afternoon but fell 6-5 in the opener. The teams conclude the series Saturday afternoon at Elliot Ballpark.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Connecticut 7, Villanova 6, and the Interstat ELO system had given the Huskies an 83.3 percent probability of winning the game.