Baseball Extends Winning Streak to Four, Beating Miami (OH) 9-4 at Hayden Field

Wednesday, April 5

Hayden Field

3 p.m.

Xavier University

17-12

Miami (OH)

7-21

Miami (OH)

Xavier

Baseball Extends Winning Streak to Four, Beating Miami (OH) 9-4 at Hayden Field

04.05.17 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)

Musketeers head into league play on a high note, will play a three-game series at 'Nova this weekend

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletics Communication

CINCINNATI – Xavier baseball homered twice and won a fourth straight on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Miami (OH) 9-4 at Hayden Field.

The Musketeers, 10-2 in their last 12, improved to 17-12 overall. The RedHawks dropped to 7-21 on the season.

Joe Gellenbeck and Nate Soria had the blasts for the Musketeers, who used a big second inning and a three-run seventh to put away Miami (OH) and even the season series at 1-1.

XU AT THE PLATE

• After being held scoreless for just the third time this season last Wednesday at Miami (OH), Xavier's offense has churned out 54 runs on 53 hits in the last four games.
• The Musketeers cranked out two home runs in today's game, giving the team 11 in the past four games. XU has had a double in each of the last 10 games and a homer in each of the last four games.
• Xavier worked a season-high 12 walks in the game, the most free passes by an XU team since walking 14 times on May 11, 2013 against UMass.
• Joe Gellenbeck went 3-for-4 with his sixth homer of the season and three RBI. It was his second straight three-hit performance as Gellenbeck is now hitting .600 (6-for-10) with seven RBI in his last two games.
• Gellenbeck also stole his eighth base of the season, giving XU a steal in each of the last 13 games.
• Rylan Bannon and Ethan Schmidt each worked a team-high three walks. Schmidt's walk total was a career-high, while Bannon's was a season-high.
• Conor Grammes (0-for-5) saw a team-leading 12 game reached base streak come to a close. Even with the hitless outing, Grammes is still hitting .489 (23-for-47) in his last 13 games.
• Nate Soria was 1-for-3 with his fourth homer of the season and two RBI.
• Will LaRue went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
• Chris Givin was back in the leadoff spot for the first time since the Penn State series, going 1-for-4 with a walk, run scored and two RBI. After missing 17 games with an injury, Givin is now hitting .333 (6-for-18) in five games since returning to lineup.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Senior lefty Trent Astle (3-1) got the win, tossing five scoreless innings. Astle scattered five hits and struck out three.
• Sophomore righty Trey Schramm came in for the sixth and was outstanding, striking out two in a perfect frame.
• Miami got to Brad Kirschner and Matt Kent in the seventh, scoring four runs.
• Freshmen David Williams and Conor Grammes slammed the door, however, combining for two hitless frames to secure the win.

HOW XU SCORED

• SECOND INNING: Roger Danison led off with a walk, scoring on a two-run bomb to left by Nate Soria. With nobody out, an Ethan Schmidt walk and a single by Will LaRue got things going again for XU. After a sacrifice bunt by Matt Fallon put runners on second and third, Chris Givin doubled to right center to plate two more. Joe Gellenbeck then followed with a soft single to center to score Givin and make it a 5-0 game.
• SIXTH INNING: Joe Gellenbeck smashed a leadoff homer to right field, giving XU a 6-0 lead.
• SEVENTH INNING: After Miami put up four in the top half, XU began the bottom with back-to-back walks by Nate Soria and Ethan Schmidt. Wild pitches put runners on second and third before a walk by Matt Fallon loaded the bases with one out. Soria would come around on a wild pitch next, making it a 7-4 lead. Joe Gellenbeck followed with a chopper to the left side, resulting in a throwing error by the Miami pitcher and two more runs for XU.

UP NEXT

• Xavier hits the road to begin league play this weekend, facing Villanova in a three-game set. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Friday.