Warwick native and Bishop Hendricken graduate Tom Verdi was at the center of the University of Connecticut baseball team’s Cinderella run to the Big East championship over the weekend. Verdi, the Huskies’ leadoff hitter, earned all-tournament honors as the Huskies - the lowest seed in the tournament - surged to the title and an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

Verdi, a junior, went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and two RBI in Sunday’s 8-1 championship game victory over Notre Dame. In the four-game tourney run, Verdi went 6-for-19 with three runs scored.

For the season, Verdi hit .260 with two homers and 21 RBI.

The Huskies went 4-0 as the lowest seed, winning three one-run games in the early rounds. Connecticut was a combined 1-11 in the regular season against the four teams it defeated in the Big East Championship. Billy Ferriter was the tournament MVP and joined Verdi and pitchers Anthony Marzi and David Mahoney on the all-tournament team. Marzi pitched a complete-game in the championship.

The Huskies were slated to learn their NCAA tournament regional destination on Monday.