Friday, April 28
Omaha, Neb.
7:30 p.m.
Xavier University
25-18, 7-3
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Creighton
19-17, 8-2
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9
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Xavier
0
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Creighton
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Bannon's Late Homer Sends Xavier Baseball to 2-1 Win Over Creighton
04.28.17 | Baseball
Junior third baseman hit 13th homer of the year in the ninth, snapping a late tie
OMAHA, Neb. -Â Rylan Bannon broke a late tie with a solo homer to left center in the ninth inning and Matt Kent closed the door with three scoreless innings of relief, helping Xavier baseball to a 2-1 win over Creighton on Friday night at TD Ameritrade Park.
The Musketeers improved to 25-18 (7-3 BIG EAST) with the win, while Creighton fell to 19-17 (8-2 BIG EAST) with the loss. CU came into the game with an 11-game winning streak, the longest in the nation.
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• Xavier continues BIG EAST play at Creighton with game two scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Ameritrade Park.
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• Junior Rylan Bannon hit his team and league-leading 13th homer of the year in the ninth inning. He finished the day 1-for-3, reaching twice via HBP to extend his reached base streak to 18 straight game. Bannon also increased his team-best hitting streak to nine straight games.
• Bannon's 13 homers move him into a tie for eighth in XU single season history.
• Chris Givin scored the tying run in the eighth inning after a leadoff single, finishing the night 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
• Nate Soria (1-for-4) also collected a hit for the Musketeers.
• Blaine Griffiths went 0-for-1, but reached three times via the walk. He has now been on base in 11 straight games for XU.
• XU drew nine walks as a team and has had a free pass in all 43 games this season.
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• Junior lefty Zac Lowther struck out six, allowing just two hits over six innings of one-run ball.Â
• The six strikeouts moved Lowther into a tie for fifth all-time in XU single season history with 85 on the year. He now has 60 strikeouts in his last 35.1 innings.
• Sophomore righty Matt Kent (5-1) set down nine of the 10 Bluejays he faced in three scoreless innings, striking out one. He lowered his season ERA to 1.36 with the performance and has yet to allow a run in 8.2 innings of work in BIG EAST play.
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EIGHTH INNING: Chris Givin led off with a single through the right side, advancing on a walk by Blaine Griffiths. Both runners moved up a base after a wild pitch before Creighton intentionally walked Will LaRue to load the bases with one out. Matt Fallon then put the ball on the ground to shortstop, beating out a potential double play ball to score Givin and tie the game at 1-1.
NINTH INNING: Rylan Bannon drilled a 1-0 pitch into the bleachers in left center for a solo homer to give XU a 2-1 lead.
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The Musketeers improved to 25-18 (7-3 BIG EAST) with the win, while Creighton fell to 19-17 (8-2 BIG EAST) with the loss. CU came into the game with an 11-game winning streak, the longest in the nation.
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 NEXT UP |
• Xavier continues BIG EAST play at Creighton with game two scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Ameritrade Park.
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 XU AT THE PLATE |
• Junior Rylan Bannon hit his team and league-leading 13th homer of the year in the ninth inning. He finished the day 1-for-3, reaching twice via HBP to extend his reached base streak to 18 straight game. Bannon also increased his team-best hitting streak to nine straight games.
• Bannon's 13 homers move him into a tie for eighth in XU single season history.
• Chris Givin scored the tying run in the eighth inning after a leadoff single, finishing the night 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
• Nate Soria (1-for-4) also collected a hit for the Musketeers.
• Blaine Griffiths went 0-for-1, but reached three times via the walk. He has now been on base in 11 straight games for XU.
• XU drew nine walks as a team and has had a free pass in all 43 games this season.
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 XU ON THE MOUND |
• Junior lefty Zac Lowther struck out six, allowing just two hits over six innings of one-run ball.Â
• The six strikeouts moved Lowther into a tie for fifth all-time in XU single season history with 85 on the year. He now has 60 strikeouts in his last 35.1 innings.
• Sophomore righty Matt Kent (5-1) set down nine of the 10 Bluejays he faced in three scoreless innings, striking out one. He lowered his season ERA to 1.36 with the performance and has yet to allow a run in 8.2 innings of work in BIG EAST play.
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 HOW XU SCORED |
EIGHTH INNING: Chris Givin led off with a single through the right side, advancing on a walk by Blaine Griffiths. Both runners moved up a base after a wild pitch before Creighton intentionally walked Will LaRue to load the bases with one out. Matt Fallon then put the ball on the ground to shortstop, beating out a potential double play ball to score Givin and tie the game at 1-1.
NINTH INNING: Rylan Bannon drilled a 1-0 pitch into the bleachers in left center for a solo homer to give XU a 2-1 lead.
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 VIDEO |
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kent, Matt (5-1)
L: David Gerber (2-7)
Batting:
HR: Bannon, Rylan 1
RBI: Bannon, Rylan 1 ; Fallon, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bannon, Rylan 1 ; Givin, Chris 1
SB: Gellenbeck, Joe 1 ; Bannon, Rylan 1
CS: Givin, Chris 1
HBP: Gellenbeck, Joe 1 ; Bannon, Rylan 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Riley Landuyt 1
HBP: Riley Landuyt 2
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
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OF
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OF
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OF
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LHP
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