Storrs — Aaron Hill did his best to block out the range of emotions that come with Senior Day and his final regular season home game at J.O. Christian Field.

Thinking about his four enjoyable years playing baseball for the Huskies would only distract him from more important matters.

"I always try to stay focused," said Hill, a Fitch High School graduate.

A 3-0 loss to East Carolina put a damper on the day but not UConn's season.

The Huskies (31-23 overall), who entered Saturday locked in a four-way tie for first place in the American Athletic Conference standings, will be the third seed in this week's conference championship. The defending tournament champions face No. 6 Cincinnati at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Clearwater, Fla.

"We had every opportunity to take the championship ourselves, but we didn't have a great game offensively," Hill said. "It's kind of unfortunate. We've just got to go out and get ready for the postseason."

The Huskies managed just two base-runners — both on singles by sophomore John Toppa — against two pitchers, including senior Kirk Morgan who struck out five and walked nobody in eight innings. The Pirates (29-27) scored a run in the third on Nick Barber's double and added two more in the ninth.

Freshman Mason Feole (7-4) took the loss, allowing one run in seven innings.

"It looked like guys were squeezing the bats," UConn coach Jim Penders said. "Disappointing. And yet our guys should feel very good about playing for a championship on the last day of the season given what we've been through and how up and down it's been. ... It's a resilient group, but we just didn't show that today. And we've got to give Kirk Morgan a lot of credit."

Prior to the game, the Huskies honored seven seniors, including Hill, Andrew Zapata, Ryan Radue, Tyler Gnesda, Keith Krueger, Alex LeFevre and Doug Domnarski of Stonington. LeFevre and Domnarski spent two seasons at UConn-Avery Point.

"It's just nice to be honored by the team," Hill said. "I remember my freshman year, being out here the first day of practice in the fall and now it's my last game here. It goes by real quick. You blink and it's gone."

For Hill, it's been trying season. He missed significant time with a wrist injury. He opted to delay surgery, returned, and is playing through the pain.

Hill, who missed his graduation ceremony because UConn was on a road trip, will walk away with a lot of good memories.

"I've met some of my best friends here and had some of the best moments of my life playing here," he said.

Hill started at second base and batted ninth Saturday. His injury has affected his hitting but he can still play some stellar defense.

He's been a valuable member of the program during his career.

"He's struggled but you'd never know it," Penders said. "He shows up to the field every day working hard. He's playing hurt. ... He's given us a valiant effort and he's playing very good defense. His at-bats, he's going to have to bunt for base hits and find a way to get one that he can get to in the zone.

"His athleticism is hard to deny. He makes plays for us. ... Great kid, great positive energy. Everybody down in that corner of the state just loves him, too. You won't find a teacher or guidance counselor say anything but great things about Aaron Hill. Now you have a coaching staff at UConn that can say the same and 34 teammates that would say the same."

Hill has spent a lot of time with Domnarski over the last few years. They've not only been UConn teammates, but also played together on the Mystic Schooners, who won the New England Collegiate Baseball League championship last summer.

Domnarski, a left-handed reliever, led the team in appearances last season but failed to duplicate that success this spring. Penders called Domnarski "tough as nails."

"He's a self-made guy in every sense of the word," Penders said. "He's a grinder in the classroom and gets the grades. He's got to work at it. He's grinder on the mound and he's got to work at it. Nothing comes natural to him.

"But he's a great Husky in the regard that he's always working hard. ... He hasn't gotten the results this year. He wanted to be a starter in the worst way and we tried to prepare him for that and he just didn't get it done. He's been scuffling to get back out there. But the guys that we've had ahead of him in the bullpen have done a good enough job where he hasn't gotten another opportunity."

g.keefe@theday.com