Friday, June 2
Louisville, Ky.
2 p.m.
Xavier University
vs
No. 2 Oklahoma
Xavier Baseball Opens NCAA Tournament Action in Louisville
05.29.17 | Baseball
Musketeers to face No. 2 seeded Oklahoma to begin tourney play on Friday at 2 p.m.
CINCINNATI – Xavier baseball travels to Louisville, Ky. this weekend to participate in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years, facing off against No. 2 seed Oklahoma on Friday with a 2 p.m. first pitch scheduled at Jim Patterson Stadium.
The Musketeers are the third seed in a regional for the second time in program history and head into the weekend fresh off a third BIG EAST Championship in four seasons.
Just like 2016, when XU won 18 of 22 to close the season, the squad comes into the NCAA Tournament smoking hot. The Musketeers are riding a seven-game winning streak and have hit .352 with 12 homers and scored 70 runs during the spurt.
• No. 1 Louisville (47-10, 23-6 ACC)
• No. 2 Oklahoma (34-22, 12-11 Big 12)
• No. 3 Xavier (32-25, 10-6 BIG EAST)
• No. 4 Radford (27-30, 11-13 Big South)
• XU is one of 31 automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament, while an additional 33 teams received at-large bids to a regional.
• Each of the 16 NCAA Tournament regionals beginning this week will feature four teams, playing a double-elimination format.
• The 71st NCAA Men's College World Series begins play Saturday, June 17, at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.
• Xavier has participated in the NCAA Tournament three times (2016, 2014, 2009).
• The Musketeers are 4-6 all-time in regional action.
• Xavier went 2-2 last year in Nashville, reaching the regional championship for the first time in program history. The Musketeers were the final No. 4 seed left in the tournament, falling to UC Santa Barbara at Hawkins Field.
• The Musketeers have played in Nashville, Tenn. (twice) and Houston, Texas in their previous three trips to the tournament.
• As a three-seed, XU defeated Sam Houston State, 9-6, on May 30, 2009 for its first-ever NCAA Tournament win in Houston, Texas.
• In 1967, Xavier baseball was invited to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history but forced to decline due to exam week on campus.
• 2016 Regional Stats | 2014 Regional Stats
• Junior Rylan Bannon hit .353 (6-for-17) in last year's regional at Vanderbilt, doubling three times, homering twice and driving in eight runs. Then a sophomore, Bannon hit his first career grand slam against the Commodores in the opening game of the regional, a 15-1 win for XU.
• Sophomore Chris Givin hit .294 (5-for-17) with two runs scored and an RBI in last year's regional.
• Junior Nate Soria hit .278 (5-for-18) with three runs scored, a homer and five RBI in last year's regional.
• Senior Matt Fallon hit .267 (4-for-15) with three runs scored and an RBI in last year's regional.
• Junior Zac Lowther was outstanding in his only start in NCAA play last season, going seven innings and striking out eight against Vanderbilt. Then a sophomore, Lowther allowed just four hits and one run en route to the win.
• Givin, Bannon and Fallon were all named to the Nashville All-Regional Team in 2016.
Xavier Open Practice (Media & Fans Welcome)
Thursday, June 1 – 1-2:15 pm
Friday, June 2
Game 1: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Xavier - 2 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Radford - 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 3
Game 3: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser - Noon
Game 4: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 7 p.m.
Sunday, June 4
Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser - 1 p.m.
Game 6: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner - 7 p.m.
Monday, June 5 | *if necessary
Game 7: Game 6 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner - 7 p.m.
All-Session Tickets
• On sale now by ordering online here
• Available in-person or by phone starting Tuesday 9 a.m. ET
• Reserved Chairback: $70
• College Student (with ID): $45
Single-Session Tickets
• On sale now by ordering online here
• Available online at GoCards.com or in-person (no phone orders) at Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
• Tickets will be available at Jim Patterson Stadium starting Friday at noon ET
• Reserved Chairback: $15
• Berm/General Admission: $10
• College Student (with ID): $5
• Xavier fans are invited to join the All For One Fund and the Louisville Xavier Alumni Chapter for a pregame gathering at JB's Pub.
• JB's Pub is a short walk from Jim Patterson stadium and will serve as the official XU gathering spot two hours prior to each game the Musketeers play. If Xavier plays in the game scheduled for Noon on Saturday, the pre-game reception will begin at 11:00 a.m.
• Address: 307 Central Ave., Louisville, Ky. 40208
• Phone: (502) 618-1843
• From the South (Nashville): Take I-65 North to exit 131-A for Watterson Expressway West. Follow signs for US-60 Bypass (I-264). Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Crittenden Drive and merge onto Crittenden Drive. Turn left at Central Avenue. Turn right at South 3rd Street. Stadium will be on the corner of Central and 3rd.
• From the North (Indianapolis): Take I-65 South to Exit 132 – Merge onto Crittenden Drive. Turn right at Central Avenue. Go over the overpass, turn right at South 3rd Street. Stadium will be on the corner of Central and South 3rd.
• From the East (Lexington/Cincinnati): Take I-64 West to exit 12 (Watterson Expressway West). Merge onto I-264, Take exit 11 to merge onto Crittenden Drive. Take Crittenden Drive over the overpass. Turn right at South 3rd Steet. Stadium will be at the corner of South 3rd Street and Central Avenue.
• From the West (St. Louis): Take I-64 East to I-65 South and get off at exit 132 – Crittenden Drive. Take Crittenden Drive to Central Avenue. Turn right on Central Avenue. Take Central Avenue over the overpass, turn right on South 3rd Street. Stadium will be at the corner of South 3rd Street and Central Avenue.
• Fans can park in the lot just north of left field. There is also parking available in the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium parking lots. A free shuttle will be running from the parking lot at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium to the main gates of the baseball stadium.
• Xavier won its third BIG EAST Championship in four seasons with a 7-6 win over No. 20 St. John's on Sunday in Omaha.
• Seven different Musketeers recorded an RBI in a true team effort across the lineup.
• Will LaRue had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and driving in the winning run with a seventh inning single to right.
• Conor Grammes went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI on his way to BIG EAST Championships MOP honors. The freshman capped the tournament with a .600 (9-for-15) batting average, scoring five times with a homer and five RBI.
• Senior Trent Astle got the start, going 4.1 innings before a St. John's rally in the fifth. Brad Kirschner came on with two on and three already across, getting two big outs to stop the bleeding. He would finish with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, stranding a runner on third in the seventh with a one-run lead.
• Trey Schramm came on for the eighth, allowing just one hit and striking out three in nailing down a six-out save. The sophomore finished the tournament with 4.2 innings of scoreless relief and four strikeouts.
• Chris Givin leads the team with a season-high 15 game hitting streak.
• Conor Grammes has reached base in 14 straight games.
• Xavier has a sacrifice fly in seven straight games and ranks third in the nation with 37 on the year.
• Xavier has a double in nine straight games.
• Xavier has homered in 11 of its last 13 games and 21 of its last 26.
• Xavier has double digit hits in five of its last seven games.
• Xavier has scored at least six runs in each of its last seven games.
• The Musketeers had drawn at least one walk in every game this season until their weekend opener at IU on May 5, snapping a streak of 114 straight games going back to April 26, 2015. XU worked a walk in all 62 games played in 2016. Xavier has drawn at least two walks in all nine games since and worked 20 walks across three games in the BIG EAST Championships.
• During XU's seven-game win streak, four guys with last names starting with "G" have all played a big part. Chris Givin, Conor Grammes, Joe Gellenbeck and Mitch Gallagher have all caught fire.
• Chris Givin is batting .478 (11-for-23) with 11 runs scored and five doubles during the stretch. The sophomore leadoff man has also walked three times to post a .536 on-base percentage.
• Conor Grammes is hitting .517 (15-for-29) with eight runs scored, two homers and 10 RBI during the streak.
• Joe Gellenbeck has recorded a .393 batting average (11-for-28), scoring nine times and going yard three times with 10 RBI.
• Mitch Gallagher is hitting .375 (9-for-24) with five runs scored, two homers and 10 RBI.
• Rylan Bannon was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year on Tuesday, May 24, marking the second straight year a Musketeer has earned the award.
• Andre Jernigan was selected for the honor in 2016 after leading XU to a regular season title. Then a senior, Jernigan led the BIG EAST with 14 homers and was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 14th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
• Six Musketeers were named to All-BIG EAST teams following the regular season.
• Rylan Bannon (unanimous), Zac Lowther and Matt Kent all earned spots on the first team, while Chris Givin, Garrett Schilling and Blaine Griffiths took home second team honors.
• Under Scott Googins, seven runs has been as good as a win. Since 2006, XU is 205-38 (.844) when scoring seven or more runs.
• Since 2011, XU's record when scoring seven has been even better at 119-14 (.895).
• Xavier has a 22-3 (.880) record in 2017 when scoring seven or more runs.
• Xavier ranks 47th nationally and first in the BIG EAST with 59 home runs on the season. XU is also 48th nationally with an average of 1.04 homers per game.
• XU has homered in 11 of its last 13 games and 21 of its last 26.
• Rylan Bannon leads the team and BIG EAST while ranking 63rd in the nation with 14 longballs.
• Joe Gellenbeck ranks second on the team and is third in the BIG EAST with 11 longballs.
• The Musketeers swatted nine homers a sweep of Fairleigh Dickinson from March 31-April 2, including seven in a 22-9 win during Friday's series opener.
• 14 different Musketeers have left the yard this season, including every player that has at least 15 AB's.
• XU was one of the top power teams in the nation last season as well, hitting 59 homers in 2016. That number ranked fourth all-time in program history. XU has tied it this year. The program record is 64, which was set in 1997.
• Xavier ranks 34th in the nation with 79 stolen bases this season and 39th nationally with 1.39 steals per game.
• Will LaRue ranks 22nd nationally with 23 stolen bases. The junior outfielder is 61-for-73 (84%) in steal attempts during his career.
• Will LaRue (23) and Rylan Bannon (17) rank first and third, respectively, in stolen bases in the BIG EAST.
• The Musketeers have stolen at least one base in 21 of their last 26 games and 35 of the last 41. XU has also stolen five bases in a game twice this season.
• The 2017 BIG EAST Player of the Year and unanimous first team selection, junior third baseman Rylan Bannon recovered from a slow start for the second straight season.
• After a 2-for-19 (.105) weekend at Troy, Bannon has recorded a .344 (64-for-186) line in his last 53 games with 41 runs, 13 doubles, 14 homers and 46 RBI. He's also walked 35 times against 35 strikeouts to record a .462 on-base percentage.
• In a bit of a statistical oddity, Bannon also shook off a 0-for-16 start at the plate last season to hit .296 (56-for-189) the rest of the way.
• Bannon leads the BIG EAST with 127 total bases, 14 homers and a .620 slugging percentage.
• As a junior, Bannon has seen a power surge as he already ranks near the top-10 in single season homers in XU history.
XU SINGLE SEASON HOME RUNS
• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST and 72nd in the nation in a painful stat, getting plunked 60 times as a team this season.
• The Musketeers have been hit by a pitch in 18 of 29 games and have also reached via HBP in 31 of the last 43 games.
• Rylan Bannon leads the team, getting hit 10 times this season. Nate Soria is second with nine HBP.
• An All-BIG EAST First Team selection, sophomore Matt Kent has been XU's most reliable option out of the bullpen in 2017 going 5-2 in 22 appearances with a 1.58 ERA.
• Kent saw his second-longest scoreless streak of the season snapped on Thursday against St. John's after tossing 16.2 consecutive innings without an earned run allowed in 11 appearances since April 5.
• The righty began the year without allowing a run (earned or unearned) in his first 22.1 innings.
• Prior to March 25 against Illinois State, Kent was one of just two pitchers in college baseball to have thrown 19 innings or more without surrendering a run. The other was BIG EAST foe Ryan Testani of Seton Hall, who had thrown 19 scoreless frames and has since allowed runs as well.
• In 2016, Kent also went 10.1 innings before allowing the first earned run of his career and allowed just one run (unearned) out of the bullpen all season. For his career, Kent has thrown 54.2 innings in relief, allowing just eight earned runs for a 1.33 ERA.
• The Xavier pitching staff was much-improved in BIG EAST play, allowing two runs or less in nine of 16 games.
• As a whole, XU pitchers posted a 3.35 ERA, striking out 124 and allowing 111 hits in 139.2 innings. Opponents batted .215 against Musketeer pitching in 16 games.
• XU's starting rotation of Zac Lowther, Garrett Schilling and Greg Jacknewitz was outstanding against league foes. The rotation posted a 2.50 ERA in BIG EAST action, compiling a line of 79.1 IP, 60 H, 22 ER, 82 K.
• Xavier's ace, junior lefty Zac Lowther, is widely considered to be one of the top MLB Draft prospects in the BIG EAST. In fact, he was recently the first-ever XU player named to the Baseball America Top 100 MLB Draft Prospect list and is the only prospect listed from the league.
• In game one of the BIG EAST Championships against No. 20 St. John's, one of the top hitting teams in the NCAA, Lowther was brilliant going seven innings and limiting the Red Storm to four hits and one unearned run while striking out nine.
• In the start against St. John's, Lowther tied and broke the school record for single season strikeouts with his first two punchouts of the game.
• XU skipped Lowther's turn in the Fairleigh Dickinson series in an effort to have him fresh for the beginning of BIG EAST play against Villanova.
• He responded by taking a perfect game into the ninth on April 7, tying a career-high with eight innings and striking out a career-best 16 in a no-decision. The strikeouts were the most by an XU pitcher since 1997.
• An All-BIG EAST First Team selection, Lowther is 5-4 with a 2.81 ERA through 14 starts. He has limited opponents to a .164 batting average.
• In BIG EAST play, he was even more dominant with a 2.25 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 32 innings with just 15 hits allowed.
• Lowther has racked up at least six strikeouts in nine of his last 10 starts, including four double-digit games and a career-high 16 at Villanova.
• Through 14 starts, Lowther ranks third in the nation with 13.44 strikeouts per nine innings and fifth in the NCAA with 5.14 hits allowed per nine innings. He is also 15th nationally with 115 strikeouts.
• Over the summer, Lowther led the prestigious Cape Cod League in strikeouts.
XU CAREER STRIKEOUTS
XU SINGLE SEASON STRIKEOUTS
• Xavier junior Garrett Schilling transitioned to the rotation in 2017 after serving in the bullpen for his first two years on the team.
• In BIG EAST play, Schilling did not allow more than two runs in a start. He posted a 1.29 ERA in five outings, striking out 17 in 28 innings while allowing 22 hits.
• Schilling set a new career-high with six strikeouts against Ohio State (3/19).
• Schilling threw seven innings of one-run ball, striking out five and scattering three hits in his first career start at Troy (2/18). He left after throwing just 72 pitches.
• Schilling picked up his first win as a starter at Penn State (2/25), allowing just three hits and one unearned run in six innings of work.
• A lights-out closer as a sophomore, Schilling posted a 1.91 ERA (tied for eighth in XU history) and broke the school record for saves with 14.
• Xavier has made just 46 errors in 57 games this season and holds a .978 fielding percentage, a number which ranks first in the BIG EAST and 26th nationally.
• The Musketeers also rank 43rd in the nation with 51 double plays this season.
• XU is on pace to set a new record for fielding percentage in 2017 after tying the mark in 2016 with a .974 fielding percentage.
• Freshman Conor Grammes is among XU's top offensive threats as a freshman, sporting a .336 batting average, 73 hits and a team-high 25 multi-hit games on the season.
• Grammes was named the BIG EAST Championships Jack Kaiser Most Outstanding Player after hitting .600 (9-for-15) with a homer, four runs scored and five RBI in three games. He had a four-hit game in the opener against St. John's, blasted a go-ahead two run homer in the fifth against Creighton and then recorded three more hits, scoring once and knocking in a run in the title game.
• Grammes went 4-for-6 (.667) in two games to open up BIG EAST play at Villanova and had his best weekend yet against Fairleigh Dickinson (3/31-4/2), posting a .636 batting average (7-for-11) with a homer and six RBI in a three-game series sweep.
• Grammes was recognized by the BIG EAST three times this season, earning BIG EAST Player of the Week on March 21 and a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll twice (2/20, 4/4).
• Had a memorable first collegiate weekend at Troy, recording two hits in all four games from the four spot in the order. He finished the weekend batting .471 (8-for-17) with three runs, three doubles, a homer and five RBI.
• On March 21, he was named BIG EAST Player of the Week for the first time after hitting .571 (8-for-14) in a 3-1 week against No. 1 Louisville and Ohio State.
• Recorded his fifth multi-hit game of the season on March 15 at No. 1 Louisville, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
• The McLean, Va. native has also been used out of the bullpen, logging 25.2 innings in 17 appearances with a 5.96 ERA.
• Seven different Musketeers have been honored by the BIG EAST Conference with weekly awards this season.
• Head coach Scott Googins is in his 12th season in 2017 after reaching several milestones a year ago.
• Xavier's skipper became the all-time winningest baseball coach at Xavier with win No. 288 at Georgetown on April 15, 2016.
• Googins also picked up career win No. 300 on May 19, 2016 against Villanova.
• With a 32-25 record this season, his all-time mark now stands 339-355 (.489).
• The Musketeers are coming off their second BIG EAST Championship run in three seasons in 2017 after sweeping both the regular season and league tournament titles in 2016. Xavier went 32-30 (14-4 BIG EAST) a year ago and brought back 26 letterwinners from its most recent title run.
• Six everyday starters are back for the Musketeers. XU also brought back 13 pitchers this year, representing all but 54 innings pitched from last season. 48.1 of those 54 innings lost were thrown by junior righty Damien Richard, who remains on the roster but is rehabbing from an injury.
• The defending league regular season and tournament champions, Xavier was picked to finish first in the BIG EAST for the first time in program history.
• Xavier had been picked fourth in each of its three seasons in the league prior to the first-place prediction.
• In addition to the BIG EAST poll, XU was also picked to win the league by publications like D1Baseball.com, Perfect Game and Baseball America.
Full Coaches Poll
First place votes in ( )
T1. Xavier – 32 points (4)
T1. St. John's – 32 pts. (3)
3. Creighton – 25 pts.
4. Seton Hall – 24 pts.
5. Georgetown – 17 pts.
6. Villanova – 9 pts.
7. Butler – 8 pts.
^ - denotes unanimous selection
* - due to ties in voting there are four outfielders and five starting pitchers on the 2017 Preseason All-BIG EAST team
• At its lowest point in 2016, Xavier was 14-26 and 1-3 in BIG EAST play in 2016 after a series-opening loss to St. John's.
• From that point on, XU would win eight straight games and 18 of its final 22.
• XU's senior class of Dan Rizzie, Andre Jernigan and David Morton combined to hit .395 in seven postseason games, carrying the Musketeers to a BIG EAST Championship for the second time in three seasons and another trip to Nashville for the NCAA Tournament.
• The Musketeers beat host and top-seeded Vanderbilt 15-1 in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament and also picked up a win against Washington, reaching the NCAA Tournament Regional Championship for the first time in program history.
• XU hit 59 home runs as a team, ranking among the national leaders and posting the fifth-most homers ever by an XU team.
• Xavier's fielding percentage of .974 tied a program record set in 2011.
• Xavier's 32 wins in 2016 were tied for the second-most in school history.
• Following a record-setting season, Xavier had two players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft for the first time since 2008. Dan Rizzie went first, going to the New York Mets in the 13th round and Andre Jernigan followed as a 14th round selection of the Minnesota Twins.
• Xavier has now had at least one player drafted in 10 of the last 12 years.
The Musketeers are the third seed in a regional for the second time in program history and head into the weekend fresh off a third BIG EAST Championship in four seasons.
Just like 2016, when XU won 18 of 22 to close the season, the squad comes into the NCAA Tournament smoking hot. The Musketeers are riding a seven-game winning streak and have hit .352 with 12 homers and scored 70 runs during the spurt.
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THE REGION |
• No. 1 Louisville (47-10, 23-6 ACC)
• No. 2 Oklahoma (34-22, 12-11 Big 12)
• No. 3 Xavier (32-25, 10-6 BIG EAST)
• No. 4 Radford (27-30, 11-13 Big South)
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ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT |
• XU is one of 31 automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament, while an additional 33 teams received at-large bids to a regional.
• Each of the 16 NCAA Tournament regionals beginning this week will feature four teams, playing a double-elimination format.
• The 71st NCAA Men's College World Series begins play Saturday, June 17, at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.
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XU IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT |
• Xavier has participated in the NCAA Tournament three times (2016, 2014, 2009).
• The Musketeers are 4-6 all-time in regional action.
• Xavier went 2-2 last year in Nashville, reaching the regional championship for the first time in program history. The Musketeers were the final No. 4 seed left in the tournament, falling to UC Santa Barbara at Hawkins Field.
• The Musketeers have played in Nashville, Tenn. (twice) and Houston, Texas in their previous three trips to the tournament.
• As a three-seed, XU defeated Sam Houston State, 9-6, on May 30, 2009 for its first-ever NCAA Tournament win in Houston, Texas.
• In 1967, Xavier baseball was invited to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history but forced to decline due to exam week on campus.
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XU PLAYERS IN THE TOURNAMENT |
• 2016 Regional Stats | 2014 Regional Stats
• Junior Rylan Bannon hit .353 (6-for-17) in last year's regional at Vanderbilt, doubling three times, homering twice and driving in eight runs. Then a sophomore, Bannon hit his first career grand slam against the Commodores in the opening game of the regional, a 15-1 win for XU.
• Sophomore Chris Givin hit .294 (5-for-17) with two runs scored and an RBI in last year's regional.
• Junior Nate Soria hit .278 (5-for-18) with three runs scored, a homer and five RBI in last year's regional.
• Senior Matt Fallon hit .267 (4-for-15) with three runs scored and an RBI in last year's regional.
• Junior Zac Lowther was outstanding in his only start in NCAA play last season, going seven innings and striking out eight against Vanderbilt. Then a sophomore, Lowther allowed just four hits and one run en route to the win.
• Givin, Bannon and Fallon were all named to the Nashville All-Regional Team in 2016.
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REGIONAL SCHEDULE |
Xavier Open Practice (Media & Fans Welcome)
Thursday, June 1 – 1-2:15 pm
Friday, June 2
Game 1: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Xavier - 2 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Radford - 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 3
Game 3: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser - Noon
Game 4: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 7 p.m.
Sunday, June 4
Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser - 1 p.m.
Game 6: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner - 7 p.m.
Monday, June 5 | *if necessary
Game 7: Game 6 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner - 7 p.m.
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TICKET INFORMATION |
All-Session Tickets
• On sale now by ordering online here
• Available in-person or by phone starting Tuesday 9 a.m. ET
• Reserved Chairback: $70
• College Student (with ID): $45
Single-Session Tickets
• On sale now by ordering online here
• Available online at GoCards.com or in-person (no phone orders) at Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
• Tickets will be available at Jim Patterson Stadium starting Friday at noon ET
• Reserved Chairback: $15
• Berm/General Admission: $10
• College Student (with ID): $5
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FAN GATHERING |
• Xavier fans are invited to join the All For One Fund and the Louisville Xavier Alumni Chapter for a pregame gathering at JB's Pub.
• JB's Pub is a short walk from Jim Patterson stadium and will serve as the official XU gathering spot two hours prior to each game the Musketeers play. If Xavier plays in the game scheduled for Noon on Saturday, the pre-game reception will begin at 11:00 a.m.
• Address: 307 Central Ave., Louisville, Ky. 40208
• Phone: (502) 618-1843
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DIRECTIONS |
• From the South (Nashville): Take I-65 North to exit 131-A for Watterson Expressway West. Follow signs for US-60 Bypass (I-264). Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Crittenden Drive and merge onto Crittenden Drive. Turn left at Central Avenue. Turn right at South 3rd Street. Stadium will be on the corner of Central and 3rd.
• From the North (Indianapolis): Take I-65 South to Exit 132 – Merge onto Crittenden Drive. Turn right at Central Avenue. Go over the overpass, turn right at South 3rd Street. Stadium will be on the corner of Central and South 3rd.
• From the East (Lexington/Cincinnati): Take I-64 West to exit 12 (Watterson Expressway West). Merge onto I-264, Take exit 11 to merge onto Crittenden Drive. Take Crittenden Drive over the overpass. Turn right at South 3rd Steet. Stadium will be at the corner of South 3rd Street and Central Avenue.
• From the West (St. Louis): Take I-64 East to I-65 South and get off at exit 132 – Crittenden Drive. Take Crittenden Drive to Central Avenue. Turn right on Central Avenue. Take Central Avenue over the overpass, turn right on South 3rd Street. Stadium will be at the corner of South 3rd Street and Central Avenue.
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PARKING |
• Fans can park in the lot just north of left field. There is also parking available in the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium parking lots. A free shuttle will be running from the parking lot at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium to the main gates of the baseball stadium.
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PROBABLE STARTERS |
| Game | Xavier | Oklahoma |
| 1 | Zac Lowther, LHP -- 2.81 ERA, 77 IP, 115 K |
Devon Perez, RHP -- 3.61 ERA, 57.1 IP, 74 K |
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PROJECTED LINEUP |
| Name | Class | Position | Hometown (HS) | Notes |
| Chris Givin | SO | SS | Castle Rock, Colo. (Rock Canyon) | All-BIG EAST Second Team selection at shortstop... made return to lineup on March 29 at Miami (OH) after missing 17 games due to a hand injury... hitting .478 (10-for-18) with 11 runs scored and five doubles during XU's seven-game winning streak... riding a team-high 15 game hitting streak, hitting .400 (24-for-60) with 16 runs scored during the stretch... has walked more than he has struck out on the season (24-to-23)... was third on team with a .345 (20-for-58) batting average in BIG EAST play... Named to BIG EAST All-Tournament Team after going 6-for-14 (.429) with a pair of doubles and six runs scored in three games... ended the regular season with a .556 (5-for-9) weekend against Georgetown in which he scored five runs, knocked in three and doubled three times... hit .333 (4-for-12) with two runs scored in XU's series at No. 18 St. John's... had a strong weekend at Indiana, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with a pair of multi-hit games... went 1-for-4 and scored game-tying run in eighth inning of a 2-1 win at Creighton (4/28)... hit .417 (5-for-12) with three runs scored and four RBI in the Butler sweep... had a career-high four hits and four runs scored in a 13-4 win against Butler (4/21)... batted .500 (5-for-10) in the series against SHU with a pair of multi-hit games, earning a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll... hit go-ahead two-run homer, his first of the season, in the fourth inning of a 2-1 win against the Pirates in the series opener (4/13)... went 1-for-5 with a walk, run, RBI and steal against Wright State (4/11)... was 1-for-4 with a run and a two-run double 9-4 win against the Miami (OH) on April 5... scored six runs and walked four times despite just one hit in the Penn State series... 2017 preseason All-BIG EAST selection... 2016 NCAA Tournament Nashville All-Regional Team... made 48 starts in strong freshman season... second on team with a .293 average and .384 OBP... stepped up in BIG EAST play, tying for the team lead with a .333 average (21-for-63) and leading the team with a .432 OBP... played a steady second base, making just six errors (.975 fielding percentage) in 50 games... linchpin of defense that ranked 33rd in the nation in double plays (54) and tied a school record with a .974 fielding percentage... |
| Conor Grammes | FR | DH | McLean, Va. (McLean) | Among the best freshmen in the BIG EAST... named BIG EAST Championships Most Outstanding Player after hitting .600 (9-for-15) with five runs, a homer and five RBI in three games... leads team with 25 multi-hit games and has produced three in a row coming into Friday's game... has reached base in 14 straight games... hitting .517 (15-for-29) with two homers and 10 RBI during XU's seven-game winning streak... went 3-for-4 with a run and RBI in BIG EAST Championships title game against St. John's... swatted go-ahead two run homer, his seventh of the season, in fifth inning of a 7-6 win against Creighton in BIG EAST Championships (5/26)... went 4-for-5 in a 13-3 win against St. John's to open the tournament (5/25)... went 2-for-5 with his sixth homer of the year in a 7-1 win over UC (5/16)... went 4-for-9 (.444) in the Georgetown series, including a pair of two-hit games... saw a 10-game hitting streak snapped in the series finale... hit .400 (4-for-10) with a pair of doubles and an RBI at No. 18 St. John's... collected hits in all three games at Indiana, including a 3-for-4 day with a homer in a loss on May 6... hit fourth homer of season in a 10-1 win over Villanova (4/9)... went 4-for-6 (.667) with four runs scored in two games at Villanova... named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (4/4) after hitting .636 (7-for-11) in the Fairleigh Dickinson sweep, homering and knocking in six runs... went 5-for-12 (.417) with two runs and an RBI last weekend in Illinois State series... named BIG EAST Player of the Week for first time in career after hitting .571 (8-for-14) with 12 total bases in a 3-1 week for XU, including a sweep of Ohio State (3/21)... hit solo homer in come-from-behind, 6-5, win over Ohio State on Sunday (3/19)... went 2-for-3 with an RBI at No. 1 Louisville on Wednesday (3/15)... named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after a big first weekend at Troy... hit .471 (8-for-17) with three runs, three doubles, a homer and five RBI in four starts... has also been used out of the bullpen, posting a 5.84 ERA in 24.2 innings... hit .500 with a .587 on-base percentage as a high school senior... was a back-to-back state champion wrestler and graduated as McLean's all-time leader in wins on the mat... |
| Rylan Bannon | JR | 3B | Joliet, Ill. (Joliet Catholic) |
2017 BIG EAST Player of the Year... unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team... began season 2-for-19 (.105) but has since hit .344 (64-for-186) in last 53 games with 41 runs, 13 doubles, 14 homers and 46 RBI... hit a team-best .426 (23-for-54) with five homers and 17 RBI in 16 league games... leads the BIG EAST and ranks 65th nationally with 14 homers this season... tied a career-high with five RBI in a 17-2 win over Georgetown (5/18)... hit .455 (5-for-11) in three games at No. 18 St. John's... had a 3-for-4 outing with a double in Saturday's loss at IU... went 1-for-3 with a game-deciding solo homer in the top of the ninth inning of a 2-1 win at Creighton (4/28)... hit .727 (8-for-11) with two homers, five runs and six RBI during a weekend sweep against Butler... went 6-for-6 with a home run on his 21st birthday in a 17-12 win over Butler (4/22)... the six hits were a career-high and the most by an XU player since at least 2004... hit an opposite field three-run homer in a 9-1 win over Cincinnati (4/18)... went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBI in series clinching win against Seton Hall (4/15)... went 4-for-9 (.444) in the series against Fairleigh Dickinson, leading XU with three homers and six runs scored... had first career multi-HR game, connecting for two bombs on March 31 in a 22-9 win over FDU... hit .500 (5-for-10) with a double, triple and two RBI in series win against Illinois State... named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after Penn State series (2/27), in which he hit .500 (8-for-16) with two HR and eight RBI in four games... went 6-for-8 (.750) in doubleheader sweep against PSU (2/25)... 2017 preseason All-BIG EAST selection... 2016 All-BIG EAST First Team selection... 2016 NCAA Tournament Nashville All-Regional Team... coming off a breakout sophomore season, shaking off a 0-for-16 start at the plate to hit .296 (56-for-189) the rest of the way... became a spark plug at the leadoff spot for the Musketeers... played in 60 games with 59 starts at third base... tied for team-lead with 34 walks and 17 doubles... led team with a .390 on-base percentage... was fourth on team with a .273 batting average... walked 17 times and struck out just 10 times in league play, raising his OBP to .420 in BIG EAST action... |
| Joe Gellenbeck | RF | SR | Lebanon, Ohio (St. Xavier) | Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year... unanimous preseason All-BIG EAST selection... named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (3/6, 3/13, 5/22) three times this season... third in the BIG EAST with 11 homers... leads BIG EAST with 56 RBI... has reached base in 45 of 57 games this season... has been a sneaky threat on the bases, going 11-for-11 in steals... hit .308 (4-for-13) with a homer and four RBI in the BIG EAST Championships... hitting .393 (11-for-28) with three homers and 10 RBI during XU's seven-game win streak... went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBI in XU's 13-3 win over St. John's to open the BIG EAST Championships (5/25)... went 4-for-12 (.333) and drove in five runs during XU's three-game sweep of Georgetown... had a big day in a 7-1 win against UC, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and his ninth homer of the year (5/16)... went 1-for-3 and drove in four runs during XU's 17-12 win over Butler (4/22)... went 5-for-8 (.625) with three runs scored and five RBI in two games at the Joe Nuxhall Classic... had a big game on April 11 against Wright State, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, his second career grand slam and five RBI... went 3-for-4 with his sixth homer and three RBI in a 9-4 against Miami (OH) on April 5... had a big weekend against Fairleigh Dickinson in which he hit .500 (6-for-12) with a homer and eight RBI... hit walk-off two run homer against Ohio State to cap a weekend sweep (3/19)... 2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection... 2016 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team... started all 62 games in 2016, tying a program record... led team and BIG EAST with 51 RBI and 125 total bases... ranked 57th in NCAA Division I with 13 longballs... homered in 10 of Xavier's 15 weekend series... |
| Will LaRue | JR | LF | Evansville, Ind. (Mater Dei) |
Preseason All-BIG EAST selection... has raised batting average 132 points over last 41 games (.148-.280), hitting .331 (45-for-136) with three homers and 21 RBI during that span... hitting .393 (11-for-28) with seven runs scored, a homer and six RBI during XU's current seven-game win streak... one of the top stolen base threats in the nation... leads team and ranks 22nd nationally with 23 steals... named to BIG EAST All-Tournament Team after hitting .636 (7-for-11) with three runs, three RBI and a pair of doubles over three games... had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a walk, double and go-ahead single in XU's 7-6 win over St. John's in the BIG EAST title game (5/28)... went 3-for-4 with a run scored and RBI in 13-3 win over St. John's to open BIG EAST Championships (5/25)... hit .333 (4-for-12) with three RBI and three runs scored in a three-game sweep of Georgetown to close out the regular season... hit .333 (4-for-12) with four RBI in the series at No. 18 St. John's... went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in a 10-8 loss at UC (5/9)... tripled for the first time in 2017 as part of a 2-for-4 day on May 7 at Indiana... went 1-for-3 with two walks and two steals, scoring a career-high four runs in a 17-12 win over Butler (4/22)... went just 1-for-7 (.143), but walked five times and scored six runs in the Butler series... went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, four walks and a steal during two games at the Joe Nuxhall Classic (4/18-19)... walked a career-high three times and went 1-for-1 against Miami (OH) on April 19... had a big game on April 11 at Wright State, going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs and steals... went 4-for-11 (.364) in the Villanova series, scoring twice and knocking in two runs... went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the win over Miami (OH) on April 5... had a pair of two-hit games in the Fairleigh Dickinson series, going 4-for-9 (.444) with four runs scored and his first homer of the season... collected one hit in each game of the Illinois State series... had a pair of two-hit games and hit .400 (4-for-10) in a weekend sweep against Ohio State (3/18-19)... went 2-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and three steals in two midweek games at Georgia (3/7-8)... appeared in 61 games with 60 starts during a breakout 2016 season... became one of the nation's best base stealers... swiped 31 bags in 36 attempts (86.1% success rate)... ranked 13th in the nation in total steals (31) and 27th in steals per game (0.51)... fourth on team with 38 runs scored... tied for fourth on team with 25 walks... third on team with 57 hits... |
| Mitch Gallagher | JR | 2B | Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy) | Hitting .375 (9-for-24) with two homers and 10 RBI during XU's seven-game win streak... was fourth on the team with a .333 (15-for-45) batting average in BIG EAST play... went 1-for-3 with a two-run double in XU's 7-6 win over Creighton to clinch a spot in the BIG EAST Championships title game (5/26).... had a pair of three-hit games, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with a pair of homers and driving in six as XU swept Georgetown to close out the regular season... went 1-for-3 with an RBI in a 7-1 win over UC (5/16)... hit a grand slam in Saturday's 17-12 win over Butler (4/22)... missed opening weekend in league play after suffering an injury during a collision in the FDU series... hit .385 (5-for-13) in return to action during Seton Hall series... was a homer shy of the cycle in series finale, going 4-for-5 with a pair of runs and three RBI (4/15)... named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (3/28) after hitting .467 (7-for-15) with six runs scored during a 3-1 week for XU... had two game-deciding RBI in Illinois State series win, including a walk-off single in Sunday's series-clinching, 3-2 win (3/25)... batted .455 (5-for-11) overall with four RBI in the Illinois State series... went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI in midweek win over Wright State (3/21)... drove in three runs, including a walk-off sacrifice fly in 5-4 win over Ohio State (3/19)... hit .400 (8-for-20) in five spring break starts at Charlotte and Georgia... has played all over the infield (1B, 2B and SS), but settled into shortstop as regular starter Chris Givin dealt with an injury... now back to second base, where he began the season... hit .339 as a sophomore at Palomar Junior College... transferred to XU over the off-season... was one of seven Comets to sign D-I after earning First Team All-PCAC honors... began college career at Pepperdine... |
| Nate Soria | JR | C | Homer Glen, Ill. (St. Rita of Cascia) | Preseason All-BIG EAST selection... named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... fourth straight year XU has had a catcher on the list... returning to catcher role after serving as an outfielder/DH during sophomore season... has thrown out 62% of attempted base stealers (11-for-18)... has reached base in 104 of 135 games going back to 2015... ranks third on team with seven homers... second on team with nine HBP... went 1-for-4 with an RBI triple, his first of the season, in the BIG EAST Championships title game (5/28)... went 1-for-4 with a double and scored the eventual game-winning run in seventh inning of a 7-6 win over Creighton in opening game of the BIG EAST Championships (5/25)... hit seventh homer of season, a solo shot, in a 13-1 win over Georgetown (5/19)... hit a three-run homer off the bench in the ninth inning of a 10-8 loss at UC (5/9)... hit .333 (3-for-9) with three runs scored, a homer and two RBI in the Butler series... hit a solo homer in a 3-2 win over Butler (4/23)... went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a two-run homer in a 9-4 win against Miami (OH) on April 5... hit .500 (5-for-10) with a a homer and five RBI in the Fairleigh Dickinson sweep... rebounded from a tough series (1-for-15) against Penn State to hit .333 (3-for-9) with a homer at Charlotte... also went 3-for-9 in a pair of midweek games at Georgia (3/7-8)... put together a .308 (4-for-13) series with a homer and three RBI in XU's opening weekend trip to Troy... 2016 All-BIG EAST First Team selection... 2015 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American... 2015 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year... tied for first on team with a .333 (20-for-60) batting average in BIG EAST play... |
| Matt Fallon | SR | CF | Glenview, Ill. (Loyola) | One of the top defenders on the team, playing errorless baseball in 57 starts in center field this season... hit .375 (3-for-8) with four walks, three steals and six runs scored in a sweep of Georgetown to close the regular season... went 4-for-7 (.571) with three runs scored and two RBI in two games at the Joe Nuxhall Classic... homered twice in series win over Seton Hall, hitting .375 overall (3-for-8) with five runs scored... hit first homer of the year, a two-run shot in fourth inning of a 6-3 loss against the Pirates (4/14)... scored a season-high three runs and added a solo shot while going 2-for-3 in 9-0 series-clinching win on Saturday (4/15)... led team with a .455 batting average, going 5-for-11 with three RBI against Villanova (4/7-9)... collected hits in each game against Illinois State, going 4-for-10 (.400) with four runs scored... hit .400 (6-for-15) in XU's opening weekend at Troy, including a career-best 4-for-4 performance in the finale... moved up to leadoff spot in series finale against PSU and put together a 2-for-5 line with a run scored (2/26)... played in all 62 games last season, tying XU record, and made 61 starts... named to 2016 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team after hitting .500 (5-for-10) with four runs scored... scored the winning run during a semifinal walk-off win against St. John's (5/26)... named to NCAA Tournament Nashville All-Regional Team after collecting a hit in each game and appearing on SportsCenter for a highlight-reel catch in center... tied for team lead with 34 walks... finished season on an eight-game hitting streak... reached in 50 of 62 games... |
| Ethan Schmidt | SR | 1B | Granville, Ohio (Granville) | Has appeared in 44 games with 23 starts, including the last six games at first base... went 0-for-3, but walked and scored in XU's 7-6 win over St. John's in the BIG EAST Championships title game... had a huge day against St. John's to open the BIG EAST Championships, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and three RBI (5/25)... scored four times in the Georgetown sweep, going 2-for-10 (.200) in the series with three walks and a pair of RBI... went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a walk in a 7-1 win over UC (5/16)... walked a career-high three times and scored twice in an April 5 win over Miami (OH)... went 3-for-3 with his first homer of the year off the bench in XU's 15-3 win over Fairleigh Dickinson (4/2)... collected hits in three of four games against Penn State... made 41 appearances and 21 starts at first in 2016... hit .224 with two homers and nine RBI... launched first career grand slam in a 12-4 win over Miami (OH) on March 16... had a seven-game hitting streak from April 16-24... |
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PROJECTED STARTER |
| Zac Lowther | JR | LHP | Brooklyn Heights, Ohio (Cuyahoga Heights) | All-BIG EAST First Team selection... one of the top strikeout artists in the nation... widely considered to be the top MLB Draft prospect in the BIG EAST... first-ever Musketeer to be named to Baseball America Top 100 MLB Draft Prospects list (No. 99)... led prestigious Cape Cod League in strikeouts over the summer... broke XU single season strikeout record of 107 in last start against St. John's... the record had been held by XU Hall of Famer Lou Witte since 1997... ranks third in the nation with 13.44 strikeouts per nine innings... ranks 15th nationally with 115 strikeouts overall... has allowed just 44 hits in 77 innings, ranking fifth nationally with 5.14 hits allowed per nine innings... allowed two hits or fewer in four of six BIG EAST starts... 24th in the NCAA with a 0.96 WHIP... has struck out at least six in nine of last 10 starts (90 K in last 56.1 IP)... allowed one unearned run, striking out nine and scattering four hits in seven dominant innings to open the BIG EAST Championships against St. John's (5/25)... pitched six scoreless, hitless innings, striking out seven against Georgetown in a 17-2 win (5/18) to close the regular season... held Big 10 power Indiana to one run on four hits over six innings, striking out 11 in a 1-0 loss (5/5)... limited Creighton to one run on two hits, striking out six in a 2-1 road win (4/28)... held Seton Hall scoreless on FS1 on April 13, allowing just two hits and striking out nine in six innings... posted best start of Xavier career at Villanova on April 7, carrying a perfect game into the ninth... held VU hitless and struck out a career-high 16 in the game, leaving after a walk with 119 pitches in the ninth... the 16 K's were the most by an XU pitcher since 1997... had 11 strikeouts in six innings of one-run ball in against Ohio State (3/18)... struck out eight and picked up the win in 2017 debut at Troy (2/17)... tough-luck loser at Charlotte (3/3) after tossing six innings of one-run ball and striking out four... shut down Southern Miss (3/10), holding the Eagles to one hit over six innings, while striking out seven in a 2-0 win... preseason All-BIG EAST selection... developed into Xavier's Friday starter and one of the top pitchers in the BIG EAST during breakout sophomore season... 2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection... led Xavier in wins (7), starts (16), innings pitched (102.0), strikeouts (84)... ranked 33rd in NCAA Division I with 16 starts... tied for BIG EAST lead with 84 strikeouts, 16 starts and 102 innings pitched... led BIG EAST with 30 strikeouts looking... paced the rotation and ranked second on team with a 3.09 ERA... lasted at least five innings in 15 of his 16 starts... went 2-2 with a 3.10 ERA in six BIG EAST starts, striking out 32 in 40.2 innings... |
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier won its third BIG EAST Championship in four seasons with a 7-6 win over No. 20 St. John's on Sunday in Omaha.
• Seven different Musketeers recorded an RBI in a true team effort across the lineup.
• Will LaRue had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and driving in the winning run with a seventh inning single to right.
• Conor Grammes went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI on his way to BIG EAST Championships MOP honors. The freshman capped the tournament with a .600 (9-for-15) batting average, scoring five times with a homer and five RBI.
• Senior Trent Astle got the start, going 4.1 innings before a St. John's rally in the fifth. Brad Kirschner came on with two on and three already across, getting two big outs to stop the bleeding. He would finish with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, stranding a runner on third in the seventh with a one-run lead.
• Trey Schramm came on for the eighth, allowing just one hit and striking out three in nailing down a six-out save. The sophomore finished the tournament with 4.2 innings of scoreless relief and four strikeouts.
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STREAKING |
• Chris Givin leads the team with a season-high 15 game hitting streak.
• Conor Grammes has reached base in 14 straight games.
• Xavier has a sacrifice fly in seven straight games and ranks third in the nation with 37 on the year.
• Xavier has a double in nine straight games.
• Xavier has homered in 11 of its last 13 games and 21 of its last 26.
• Xavier has double digit hits in five of its last seven games.
• Xavier has scored at least six runs in each of its last seven games.
• The Musketeers had drawn at least one walk in every game this season until their weekend opener at IU on May 5, snapping a streak of 114 straight games going back to April 26, 2015. XU worked a walk in all 62 games played in 2016. Xavier has drawn at least two walks in all nine games since and worked 20 walks across three games in the BIG EAST Championships.
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THE KILLER G'S |
• During XU's seven-game win streak, four guys with last names starting with "G" have all played a big part. Chris Givin, Conor Grammes, Joe Gellenbeck and Mitch Gallagher have all caught fire.
• Chris Givin is batting .478 (11-for-23) with 11 runs scored and five doubles during the stretch. The sophomore leadoff man has also walked three times to post a .536 on-base percentage.
• Conor Grammes is hitting .517 (15-for-29) with eight runs scored, two homers and 10 RBI during the streak.
• Joe Gellenbeck has recorded a .393 batting average (11-for-28), scoring nine times and going yard three times with 10 RBI.
• Mitch Gallagher is hitting .375 (9-for-24) with five runs scored, two homers and 10 RBI.
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BACK-TO-BACK POY'S |
• Rylan Bannon was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year on Tuesday, May 24, marking the second straight year a Musketeer has earned the award.
• Andre Jernigan was selected for the honor in 2016 after leading XU to a regular season title. Then a senior, Jernigan led the BIG EAST with 14 homers and was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 14th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
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SIX ALL-BIG EAST PICKS |
• Six Musketeers were named to All-BIG EAST teams following the regular season.
• Rylan Bannon (unanimous), Zac Lowther and Matt Kent all earned spots on the first team, while Chris Givin, Garrett Schilling and Blaine Griffiths took home second team honors.
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LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN |
• Under Scott Googins, seven runs has been as good as a win. Since 2006, XU is 205-38 (.844) when scoring seven or more runs.
• Since 2011, XU's record when scoring seven has been even better at 119-14 (.895).
• Xavier has a 22-3 (.880) record in 2017 when scoring seven or more runs.
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BOMB SQUAD |
• Xavier ranks 47th nationally and first in the BIG EAST with 59 home runs on the season. XU is also 48th nationally with an average of 1.04 homers per game.
• XU has homered in 11 of its last 13 games and 21 of its last 26.
• Rylan Bannon leads the team and BIG EAST while ranking 63rd in the nation with 14 longballs.
• Joe Gellenbeck ranks second on the team and is third in the BIG EAST with 11 longballs.
• The Musketeers swatted nine homers a sweep of Fairleigh Dickinson from March 31-April 2, including seven in a 22-9 win during Friday's series opener.
• 14 different Musketeers have left the yard this season, including every player that has at least 15 AB's.
• XU was one of the top power teams in the nation last season as well, hitting 59 homers in 2016. That number ranked fourth all-time in program history. XU has tied it this year. The program record is 64, which was set in 1997.
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BASE BURGLARS |
• Xavier ranks 34th in the nation with 79 stolen bases this season and 39th nationally with 1.39 steals per game.
• Will LaRue ranks 22nd nationally with 23 stolen bases. The junior outfielder is 61-for-73 (84%) in steal attempts during his career.
• Will LaRue (23) and Rylan Bannon (17) rank first and third, respectively, in stolen bases in the BIG EAST.
• The Musketeers have stolen at least one base in 21 of their last 26 games and 35 of the last 41. XU has also stolen five bases in a game twice this season.
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RIDING RYLAN |
• The 2017 BIG EAST Player of the Year and unanimous first team selection, junior third baseman Rylan Bannon recovered from a slow start for the second straight season.
• After a 2-for-19 (.105) weekend at Troy, Bannon has recorded a .344 (64-for-186) line in his last 53 games with 41 runs, 13 doubles, 14 homers and 46 RBI. He's also walked 35 times against 35 strikeouts to record a .462 on-base percentage.
• In a bit of a statistical oddity, Bannon also shook off a 0-for-16 start at the plate last season to hit .296 (56-for-189) the rest of the way.
• Bannon leads the BIG EAST with 127 total bases, 14 homers and a .620 slugging percentage.
• As a junior, Bannon has seen a power surge as he already ranks near the top-10 in single season homers in XU history.
XU SINGLE SEASON HOME RUNS
| Rank | Name (Year) | Total HR |
| 1 | Ben Thomas (2009) | 16 |
| Dan Froehle (1986) | 16 | |
| 3 | Ben Thomas (2011) | 15 |
| Jim Dallio (1996) | 15 | |
| Sean West (1995) | 15 | |
| 6 | Matt Watson (1999) | 14 |
| Rylan Bannon (2017) | 14 | |
| Andre Jernigan (2016) | 14 | |
| 8 | Ben Thomas (2010) | 13 |
| Mike Sak (1995) | 13 | |
| Andy Jansen (1982) | 13 | |
| Joe Gellenbeck (2016) | 13 |
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TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM |
• Xavier ranks second in the BIG EAST and 72nd in the nation in a painful stat, getting plunked 60 times as a team this season.
• The Musketeers have been hit by a pitch in 18 of 29 games and have also reached via HBP in 31 of the last 43 games.
• Rylan Bannon leads the team, getting hit 10 times this season. Nate Soria is second with nine HBP.
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THE OTHER INVINCIBLE KENT |
• An All-BIG EAST First Team selection, sophomore Matt Kent has been XU's most reliable option out of the bullpen in 2017 going 5-2 in 22 appearances with a 1.58 ERA.
• Kent saw his second-longest scoreless streak of the season snapped on Thursday against St. John's after tossing 16.2 consecutive innings without an earned run allowed in 11 appearances since April 5.
• The righty began the year without allowing a run (earned or unearned) in his first 22.1 innings.
• Prior to March 25 against Illinois State, Kent was one of just two pitchers in college baseball to have thrown 19 innings or more without surrendering a run. The other was BIG EAST foe Ryan Testani of Seton Hall, who had thrown 19 scoreless frames and has since allowed runs as well.
• In 2016, Kent also went 10.1 innings before allowing the first earned run of his career and allowed just one run (unearned) out of the bullpen all season. For his career, Kent has thrown 54.2 innings in relief, allowing just eight earned runs for a 1.33 ERA.
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LIGHTS OUT IN LEAGUE PLAY |
• The Xavier pitching staff was much-improved in BIG EAST play, allowing two runs or less in nine of 16 games.
• As a whole, XU pitchers posted a 3.35 ERA, striking out 124 and allowing 111 hits in 139.2 innings. Opponents batted .215 against Musketeer pitching in 16 games.
• XU's starting rotation of Zac Lowther, Garrett Schilling and Greg Jacknewitz was outstanding against league foes. The rotation posted a 2.50 ERA in BIG EAST action, compiling a line of 79.1 IP, 60 H, 22 ER, 82 K.
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ZAC WITHOUT A K... SOMEHOW |
• Xavier's ace, junior lefty Zac Lowther, is widely considered to be one of the top MLB Draft prospects in the BIG EAST. In fact, he was recently the first-ever XU player named to the Baseball America Top 100 MLB Draft Prospect list and is the only prospect listed from the league.
• In game one of the BIG EAST Championships against No. 20 St. John's, one of the top hitting teams in the NCAA, Lowther was brilliant going seven innings and limiting the Red Storm to four hits and one unearned run while striking out nine.
• In the start against St. John's, Lowther tied and broke the school record for single season strikeouts with his first two punchouts of the game.
• XU skipped Lowther's turn in the Fairleigh Dickinson series in an effort to have him fresh for the beginning of BIG EAST play against Villanova.
• He responded by taking a perfect game into the ninth on April 7, tying a career-high with eight innings and striking out a career-best 16 in a no-decision. The strikeouts were the most by an XU pitcher since 1997.
• An All-BIG EAST First Team selection, Lowther is 5-4 with a 2.81 ERA through 14 starts. He has limited opponents to a .164 batting average.
• In BIG EAST play, he was even more dominant with a 2.25 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 32 innings with just 15 hits allowed.
• Lowther has racked up at least six strikeouts in nine of his last 10 starts, including four double-digit games and a career-high 16 at Villanova.
• Through 14 starts, Lowther ranks third in the nation with 13.44 strikeouts per nine innings and fifth in the NCAA with 5.14 hits allowed per nine innings. He is also 15th nationally with 115 strikeouts.
• Over the summer, Lowther led the prestigious Cape Cod League in strikeouts.
XU CAREER STRIKEOUTS
| Rank | Name (Years) | Total K's |
| 1 | Lou Witte (1996-99) | 345 |
| 2 | Mike Creevy (2004-08) | 253 |
| 3 | Michael Lucas (2005-08) | 246 |
| 4 | Zac Lowther (2015-) | 241 |
| 5 | Greg Wiggers (1999-03) | 240 |
| 6 | Jon Richard (2010-13) | 212 |
| 7 | Jeff Barger (1998-01) | 203 |
XU SINGLE SEASON STRIKEOUTS
| Rank | Name (Years) | Total K's |
| 1 | Zac Lowther (2017) | 115 |
| 2 | Lou Witte (1997) | 107 |
| 3 | Tommy Shirley (2010) | 98 |
| 4 | Lou Witte (1999) | 92 |
| 5 | Bobby Bevel (1995) | 87 |
| 6 | Josh Bradford (1996) | 85 |
| 7 | Zac Lowther (2016) | 84 |
| 8 | Danny Rosenbaum (2008) | 82 |
| 9 | Bobby Bevel (1994) | 80 |
| 10 | Danny Rosenbaum (2009) | 77 |
| Lou Witte (1998) | 77 |
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SCHILLING AT THE START |
• Xavier junior Garrett Schilling transitioned to the rotation in 2017 after serving in the bullpen for his first two years on the team.
• In BIG EAST play, Schilling did not allow more than two runs in a start. He posted a 1.29 ERA in five outings, striking out 17 in 28 innings while allowing 22 hits.
• Schilling set a new career-high with six strikeouts against Ohio State (3/19).
• Schilling threw seven innings of one-run ball, striking out five and scattering three hits in his first career start at Troy (2/18). He left after throwing just 72 pitches.
• Schilling picked up his first win as a starter at Penn State (2/25), allowing just three hits and one unearned run in six innings of work.
• A lights-out closer as a sophomore, Schilling posted a 1.91 ERA (tied for eighth in XU history) and broke the school record for saves with 14.
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X CAN PICK IT |
• Xavier has made just 46 errors in 57 games this season and holds a .978 fielding percentage, a number which ranks first in the BIG EAST and 26th nationally.
• The Musketeers also rank 43rd in the nation with 51 double plays this season.
• XU is on pace to set a new record for fielding percentage in 2017 after tying the mark in 2016 with a .974 fielding percentage.
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THE KID CAN PLAY |
• Freshman Conor Grammes is among XU's top offensive threats as a freshman, sporting a .336 batting average, 73 hits and a team-high 25 multi-hit games on the season.
• Grammes was named the BIG EAST Championships Jack Kaiser Most Outstanding Player after hitting .600 (9-for-15) with a homer, four runs scored and five RBI in three games. He had a four-hit game in the opener against St. John's, blasted a go-ahead two run homer in the fifth against Creighton and then recorded three more hits, scoring once and knocking in a run in the title game.
• Grammes went 4-for-6 (.667) in two games to open up BIG EAST play at Villanova and had his best weekend yet against Fairleigh Dickinson (3/31-4/2), posting a .636 batting average (7-for-11) with a homer and six RBI in a three-game series sweep.
• Grammes was recognized by the BIG EAST three times this season, earning BIG EAST Player of the Week on March 21 and a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll twice (2/20, 4/4).
• Had a memorable first collegiate weekend at Troy, recording two hits in all four games from the four spot in the order. He finished the weekend batting .471 (8-for-17) with three runs, three doubles, a homer and five RBI.
• On March 21, he was named BIG EAST Player of the Week for the first time after hitting .571 (8-for-14) in a 3-1 week against No. 1 Louisville and Ohio State.
• Recorded his fifth multi-hit game of the season on March 15 at No. 1 Louisville, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
• The McLean, Va. native has also been used out of the bullpen, logging 25.2 innings in 17 appearances with a 5.96 ERA.
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2017 WEEKLY HONORS |
• Seven different Musketeers have been honored by the BIG EAST Conference with weekly awards this season.
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GOOGS AT THE HELM |
• Head coach Scott Googins is in his 12th season in 2017 after reaching several milestones a year ago.
• Xavier's skipper became the all-time winningest baseball coach at Xavier with win No. 288 at Georgetown on April 15, 2016.
• Googins also picked up career win No. 300 on May 19, 2016 against Villanova.
• With a 32-25 record this season, his all-time mark now stands 339-355 (.489).
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THE KING RETURNS |
• The Musketeers are coming off their second BIG EAST Championship run in three seasons in 2017 after sweeping both the regular season and league tournament titles in 2016. Xavier went 32-30 (14-4 BIG EAST) a year ago and brought back 26 letterwinners from its most recent title run.
• Six everyday starters are back for the Musketeers. XU also brought back 13 pitchers this year, representing all but 54 innings pitched from last season. 48.1 of those 54 innings lost were thrown by junior righty Damien Richard, who remains on the roster but is rehabbing from an injury.
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PICKED TO REPEAT |
• The defending league regular season and tournament champions, Xavier was picked to finish first in the BIG EAST for the first time in program history.
• Xavier had been picked fourth in each of its three seasons in the league prior to the first-place prediction.
• In addition to the BIG EAST poll, XU was also picked to win the league by publications like D1Baseball.com, Perfect Game and Baseball America.
Full Coaches Poll
First place votes in ( )
T1. Xavier – 32 points (4)
T1. St. John's – 32 pts. (3)
3. Creighton – 25 pts.
4. Seton Hall – 24 pts.
5. Georgetown – 17 pts.
6. Villanova – 9 pts.
7. Butler – 8 pts.
^ - denotes unanimous selection
* - due to ties in voting there are four outfielders and five starting pitchers on the 2017 Preseason All-BIG EAST team
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A RUN TO REMEMBER |
• At its lowest point in 2016, Xavier was 14-26 and 1-3 in BIG EAST play in 2016 after a series-opening loss to St. John's.
• From that point on, XU would win eight straight games and 18 of its final 22.
• XU's senior class of Dan Rizzie, Andre Jernigan and David Morton combined to hit .395 in seven postseason games, carrying the Musketeers to a BIG EAST Championship for the second time in three seasons and another trip to Nashville for the NCAA Tournament.
• The Musketeers beat host and top-seeded Vanderbilt 15-1 in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament and also picked up a win against Washington, reaching the NCAA Tournament Regional Championship for the first time in program history.
• XU hit 59 home runs as a team, ranking among the national leaders and posting the fifth-most homers ever by an XU team.
• Xavier's fielding percentage of .974 tied a program record set in 2011.
• Xavier's 32 wins in 2016 were tied for the second-most in school history.
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DRAFTING MUSKETEERS |
• Following a record-setting season, Xavier had two players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft for the first time since 2008. Dan Rizzie went first, going to the New York Mets in the 13th round and Andre Jernigan followed as a 14th round selection of the Minnesota Twins.
• Xavier has now had at least one player drafted in 10 of the last 12 years.
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/ BaseballHIGHLIGHTS | Baseball vs. UConn (BIG EAST Tournament)
Thursday, May 22
HIGHLIGHTS | Baseball at Penn State (Game 3)
Saturday, May 17
HIGHLIGHTS | Baseball at Creighton (Game Three)
Sunday, May 11
HIGHLIGHTS | Baseball at Creighton (Game 2)
Sunday, May 11