Tuesday, February 27
Louisville, Ky.
3 p.m.
Xavier University
at
No. 13 Louisville
Baseball Travels to No. 13 Louisville for Midweek Showdown
02.26.18 | Baseball
Xavier returns to site of 2017 NCAA Tournament Regional for rematch with Cardinals
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Xavier baseball continues its challenging early season road schedule on Tuesday, heading down I-71 to face Louisville at Jim Patterson Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
The Musketeers (3-4) began their season with a three-game sweep at the hands of No. 5 Florida State in Tallahassee, but rebounded with a 3-1 second week complete with a road win against No. 8 Kentucky on Tuesday. That win delivered head coach Billy O'Conner his first career win in dramatic fashion.
Xavier is coming off its second straight BIG EAST Championship, beginning a new era with first year head coach Billy O'Conner after finishing the 2017 season with a 34-27 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament Louisville Regional Final. XU has made two straight appearances in a regional title game.
• XU meets Louisville for a non-conference road game for the second straight season. The Musketeers trail the all-time series 36-17.
• Louisville has hosted four straight NCAA Super Regionals and won at least 40 games in six straight seasons. The Cardinals reached the College World Series for the fourth time in program history last season.
• In 2017, Louisville hosted Xavier in the NCAA Louisville Regional and won 8-7 in a back-and-forth affair.
• Former Cardinal first baseman and left-handed pitcher Brendan McKay received the Golden Spikes Award, which is an annual award given to the top amateur baseball player in the United States.
• Seven Louisville players were drafted in the 2017 MLB draft and McKay was selected as the No. 4 overall draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays.
• Joe Gellenbeck enters the game with a four-game hitting streak and has reached base in all seven games this season. Going back to last season, Gellenbeck has hit in six straight and reached in nine straight.
• Chris Givin enters the game with a three-game hitting streak.
• The Musketeers are coming off a third BIG EAST Championship run in four seasons after sweeping their way to a BIG EAST Championship in Omaha, Neb. this past May. XU swept the regular season and tournament titles in 2016 and also won the tournament in 2014, its first year in the league.
• Xavier went 34-27 (10-6 BIG EAST) a year ago and brings back 21 letterwinners from its most recent title run.
• Six everyday starters will be back for the Musketeers, including All-BIG EAST players Matt Kent, Chris Givin and Blaine Griffiths.
• Since joining the league in 2014, Xavier has won three of the four BIG EAST Championships (2014, 2016, 2017) and ranks third all-time in league championships with Seton Hall, Rutgers and Connecticut. XU and Seton Hall are tied for the most BIG EAST titles amongst current league members.
• With back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017, Xavier became the first team since Louisville in 2008 and 2009 to repeat as tournament champions.
• After a decorated playing career and four years as an assistant on the Xavier baseball staff, Billy O'Conner was named the program's seventh head coach in June following Scott Googins' departure after 12 seasons.
• Googins coached O'Conner as a player and was the program's all-time winningest coach at 341-357 (.489) and won four conference titles before accepting a position at Cincinnati in June.
• During his time on the staff, XU has posted three 30-win seasons, made three appearances in the NCAA Tournament and had eight players selected in the MLB First Year Player Draft. That number includes back-to-back years with multiple picks and a program record four selections in the 2017 draft.
• Prior to his time as an assistant at XU, O'Conner spent one year as an assistant at Northern Kentucky and two years in the volunteer assistant role at Xavier.
• Xavier's 34 wins were second-most in school history and its .557 winning percentage was seventh-best in program history.
• XU swept its way to the BIG EAST title for a second straight year, improving to 9-1 all-time in the conference tournament.
• XU advanced to an NCAA Tournament Regional Final for the second straight year with a 2-2 record, defeating Oklahoma and Radford in the national tournament. Prior to 2016, the program had never won multiple games in an NCAA Tournament.
• Xavier went 10-6 in BIG EAST play to clinch third in the league and qualified for the BIG EAST Championships for the third time in four seasons as a member school.
• Xavier had back-to-back 30+ win seasons for just the second time in school history.
• Xavier set school records for team fielding percentage (.977) and strikeouts (461).
• XU hit the third most homers in a single season in program history as 14 different players left the yard.
• Due to graduation and the MLB Draft, Xavier lost seven pitchers, 60 starts and 373.1 innings of production from a year ago. That is roughly 70 percent of last year's innings pitched.
• Closer Trey Schramm is the lone returner to have started a game last season.
• Xavier will begin the year with two true freshmen in the rotation in lefties Trevor Olson and Nick Zwack.
• Senior Damien Richard will serve as a weekend starter after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
• The opening weekend rotation came into the season with just five starts and 52.2 innings of career experience, all belonging to Damien Richard.
• Zac Lowther was the highest-ever selection by a Xavier baseball player this past June, going in the second round compensatory selections. XU's previous high pick was Seth Willoughby, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2012 by the Colorado Rockies.
• Xavier had a program record four players selected in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Additionally, two committed players were taken in the draft for the first time in program history.
• Xavier's four draft picks were: Zac Lowther (Comp. Round B, 74th pick, Baltimore Orioles), Rylan Bannon (8th Round, 250th pick, LA Dodgers), Garrett Schilling (18th Round, 536th pick, Colorado Rockies), Greg Jacknewitz (22nd Round, 666th pick, San Francisco Giants)
• XU has now had multiple picks in each of the last two seasons. In 2016, Dan Rizzie went to the New York Mets in the 13th round and Andre Jernigan followed as a 14th round selection of the Minnesota Twins.
• Xavier has had at least one player drafted in 11 of the last 13 years.
• 16 total XU players have been drafted since 2005.
• The defending BIG EAST Tournament champions, Xavier was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST in 2018 during an annual vote conducted by the league's head coaches.
• XU was picked to finish second in the league for the first time.
• The Musketeers were selected to finish fourth in each of their first three seasons in the league until being picked to win the BIG EAST ahead of the 2017 season.
• Chris Givin, Conor Grammes and Matt Kent were each selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
First place votes in ( )
1. St. John's – 35 points (5)
2. Xavier – 30 pts. (2)
3. Creighton – 24 pts.
4. Seton Hall – 23 pts.
5. Butler – 18 pts.
6. Georgetown – 11 pts.
7. Villanova – 6 pts.
• Xavier will play a 57-game schedule in 2018, including 15 home dates and the three home series at Hayden Field. XU will travel to nine different states as part of its road schedule.
• The 2018 schedule features five NCAA Tournament participants (Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, Dallas Baptist and St. John's). All five 2017 NCAA Tournament opponents were 40-game winners a year ago.
• Overall, the Musketeers will face a challenging schedule that features opponents that combined for a 727-629 (.536) record in 2017.
• Xavier will look to defend its title as the host of the 2018 BIG EAST Championships at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio. The four-team, double elimination tournament will run from May 24-27.
• It will be the first time Xavier has served as host of the league tournament. Prasco Park is about 20 miles north of Cincinnati and a 30-minute drive from Xavier's campus.
The Musketeers (3-4) began their season with a three-game sweep at the hands of No. 5 Florida State in Tallahassee, but rebounded with a 3-1 second week complete with a road win against No. 8 Kentucky on Tuesday. That win delivered head coach Billy O'Conner his first career win in dramatic fashion.
Xavier is coming off its second straight BIG EAST Championship, beginning a new era with first year head coach Billy O'Conner after finishing the 2017 season with a 34-27 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament Louisville Regional Final. XU has made two straight appearances in a regional title game.
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PITCHING MATCHUPS |
| Game | Xavier | Opponent |
| 1 | Henry Miller, RHP | TBA |
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SERIES HISTORY |
• XU meets Louisville for a non-conference road game for the second straight season. The Musketeers trail the all-time series 36-17.
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OPPONENT NOTABLES |
• Louisville has hosted four straight NCAA Super Regionals and won at least 40 games in six straight seasons. The Cardinals reached the College World Series for the fourth time in program history last season.
• In 2017, Louisville hosted Xavier in the NCAA Louisville Regional and won 8-7 in a back-and-forth affair.
• Former Cardinal first baseman and left-handed pitcher Brendan McKay received the Golden Spikes Award, which is an annual award given to the top amateur baseball player in the United States.
• Seven Louisville players were drafted in the 2017 MLB draft and McKay was selected as the No. 4 overall draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays.
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PROJECTED LINEUP |
| Name | Class | Position | Hometown (HS) | Notes |
| Will LaRue | SR | LF | Evansville, Ind. (Mater Dei) | Missed opening weekend of the season at No. 5 FSU with an injury... went 5-for-12 (.417) with two runs scored, three walks and three RBI in Spartanburg, S.C. last weekend... one of the top SB threats in the nation... 2-for-2 in steals already this season... played in all 61 games with 60 starts in 2017... led team, BIG EAST and ranked 11th nationally with 26 steals last season... finished season seventh all-time in program history with 64 career steals... also ranked 32nd nationally with 0.43 steals per game... second on team with 35 walks... raised batting average from .140 to .285 from March 11 to the end of the season... went 3-for-3 with a double and drove in the game-winning run in the BIG EAST Championship against St. John's (5/28)... named to BIG EAST All-Tournament Team after posting a pair of three-hit games and going 7-for-11 with three RBI in three games... went 3-for-10 (.300) with three runs scored and two RBI in the NCAA Tournament Louisville Regional... |
| Chris Givin | JR | SS | Castle Rock, Colo. | 2018 Preseason All-BIG EAST selection... returned to lineup last weekend and went 4-for-11 (.364) with two runs scored and an RBI in Spartanburg, S.C.... played and started in 43 games last season... All-BIG EAST Second Team selection at shortstop... 2017 preseason All-BIG EAST selection... third on team with a .302 batting average batting primarily in the leadoff spot... made return to lineup on March 29 at Miami (OH) after missing 17 games due to a hand injury... recorded a team-best 15 game hitting streak, hitting .400 (24-for-60) with 16 runs scored down the stretch... nearly walked more than he struck out on the season (25-to-26), helping him record a .395 on-base percentage... was third on team with a .345 (20-for-58) batting average in BIG EAST play... |
| Conor Grammes | SO | 3B | McLean, Va. (McLean) | 2018 Preseason All-BIG EAST selection... went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored at No. 8 Kentucky (2/20)... hit .417 (5-for-12) with a homer and a pair of multi-hit games at No. 5 FSU to start the season... among the best freshmen in the BIG EAST a year ago... named BIG EAST Championships Most Outstanding Player after hitting .600 (9-for-15) with five runs, a homer and five RBI in three games... led team with 26 multi-hit games... ranked sixth in the league and led XU with a .341 batting average... fourth in the BIG EAST with 79 hits and 14 doubles... third in the league with 116 total bases... ranked eighth in the nation with eight sacrifice flies... reached base in 18 straight games and had a seven game hitting streak to close the season... |
| Joe Gellenbeck | GR | RF | Lebanon, Ohio (St. Xavier) | One of the top sluggers in the BIG EAST... named BIG EAST Player of the Week (2/26)... hit .625 (10-for-16) with 17 total bases in four games last week... had a huge game at No. 8 Kentucky, going 3-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored, including the go-ahead run in the 10th (2/20)... back for a fifth season after redshirting in 2014... 2017 Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year... ranked third in the BIG EAST with 11 homers... led BIG EAST with 56 RBI... led team with 17 multi-RBI games... was a sneaky threat on the bases, going 12-for-12 in steals... hit .308 (4-for-13) with a homer and four RBI in the BIG EAST Championships... enters season with 24 career home runs... |
| Blaine Griffiths | SR | DH | Lebanon, Ohio (Lakota West) | Named to 2017 All-BIG EAST Second Team after hitting .379 (11-for-29) with a homer and eight RBI in league play... Three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team honoree... |
| Allbry Major | FR | CF | Indianapolis, Ind. (North Central) | 6-foot-5 switch hitter known for his athleticism... Baseball America selected Major as its preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year... went 1-for-3 with two RBI in the win over No. 8 Kentucky (2/20)... has also been a weapon out of the bullpen, striking out seven with a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings of work... had a standout summer with Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, hitting .336 with two homers and 21 RBI... also posted a 3.34 ERA in 32.1 innings and struck out 44... named No. 15 MLB Draft prospect in the league following the season... posted top OF velo at the Perfect Game Fall Showcase in 2016... father, Kendrick, ran track at Indiana State... |
| Ryan Altenberger | FR | 2B | Morton, Ill. (Morton) | True freshman... went 3-for-8 (.375) in two starts at No. 5 FSU over the weekend in place of Chris Givin, who was injured in Friday's season opener... |
| Matt Warkentin | JR | 1B | Leamington, Ontario (Leamington District Secondary) | 6-foot-6 athletic first baseman from Canada... transferred to XU this spring from Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas... blasted first homer of season on Saturday against Presbyterian (2/24)... hit .351 with 12 homers and 55 RBI for JCC last season... began collegiate career at San Francisco... |
| Nate Soria | SR | C | Homer Glen, Ill. (St. Rita of Cascia) | Enters Tuesday looking for first hit of season... appeared in 60 games with 57 starts... tied for third on team with seven homers... fifth on team with 30 RBI... tied for team lead with 10 HBP... preseason All-BIG EAST selection... named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... fourth straight year XU has had a catcher on the list... threw out 44% of attempted base stealers (11-for-25)... has reached base in 108 of 139 games going back to 2015... finished season on a six-game hitting streak... went 6-for-15 (.400) with six RBI in the NCAA Tournament... |
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WEEKEND ROTATION |
| Henry Miller | FR | RHP | Mission Hills, Kan. (Shawnee Mission East) | True freshman... big bodied righty at 6-foot-5... has a 2.35 ERA in two outings so far this season... pitched four innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out six in a start at No. 8 Kentucky (2/20)... made collegiate debut at No. 5 Florida State on Friday, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing just one earned run... |
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STREAKING |
• Joe Gellenbeck enters the game with a four-game hitting streak and has reached base in all seven games this season. Going back to last season, Gellenbeck has hit in six straight and reached in nine straight.
• Chris Givin enters the game with a three-game hitting streak.
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THE KING RETURNS |
• The Musketeers are coming off a third BIG EAST Championship run in four seasons after sweeping their way to a BIG EAST Championship in Omaha, Neb. this past May. XU swept the regular season and tournament titles in 2016 and also won the tournament in 2014, its first year in the league.
• Xavier went 34-27 (10-6 BIG EAST) a year ago and brings back 21 letterwinners from its most recent title run.
• Six everyday starters will be back for the Musketeers, including All-BIG EAST players Matt Kent, Chris Givin and Blaine Griffiths.
• Since joining the league in 2014, Xavier has won three of the four BIG EAST Championships (2014, 2016, 2017) and ranks third all-time in league championships with Seton Hall, Rutgers and Connecticut. XU and Seton Hall are tied for the most BIG EAST titles amongst current league members.
• With back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017, Xavier became the first team since Louisville in 2008 and 2009 to repeat as tournament champions.
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BILLY BALL |
• After a decorated playing career and four years as an assistant on the Xavier baseball staff, Billy O'Conner was named the program's seventh head coach in June following Scott Googins' departure after 12 seasons.
• Googins coached O'Conner as a player and was the program's all-time winningest coach at 341-357 (.489) and won four conference titles before accepting a position at Cincinnati in June.
• During his time on the staff, XU has posted three 30-win seasons, made three appearances in the NCAA Tournament and had eight players selected in the MLB First Year Player Draft. That number includes back-to-back years with multiple picks and a program record four selections in the 2017 draft.
• Prior to his time as an assistant at XU, O'Conner spent one year as an assistant at Northern Kentucky and two years in the volunteer assistant role at Xavier.
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2017 TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
• Xavier's 34 wins were second-most in school history and its .557 winning percentage was seventh-best in program history.
• XU swept its way to the BIG EAST title for a second straight year, improving to 9-1 all-time in the conference tournament.
• XU advanced to an NCAA Tournament Regional Final for the second straight year with a 2-2 record, defeating Oklahoma and Radford in the national tournament. Prior to 2016, the program had never won multiple games in an NCAA Tournament.
• Xavier went 10-6 in BIG EAST play to clinch third in the league and qualified for the BIG EAST Championships for the third time in four seasons as a member school.
• Xavier had back-to-back 30+ win seasons for just the second time in school history.
• Xavier set school records for team fielding percentage (.977) and strikeouts (461).
• XU hit the third most homers in a single season in program history as 14 different players left the yard.
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YOUNG GUNS |
• Due to graduation and the MLB Draft, Xavier lost seven pitchers, 60 starts and 373.1 innings of production from a year ago. That is roughly 70 percent of last year's innings pitched.
• Closer Trey Schramm is the lone returner to have started a game last season.
• Xavier will begin the year with two true freshmen in the rotation in lefties Trevor Olson and Nick Zwack.
• Senior Damien Richard will serve as a weekend starter after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
• The opening weekend rotation came into the season with just five starts and 52.2 innings of career experience, all belonging to Damien Richard.
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DRAFTING MUSKETEERS |
• Zac Lowther was the highest-ever selection by a Xavier baseball player this past June, going in the second round compensatory selections. XU's previous high pick was Seth Willoughby, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2012 by the Colorado Rockies.
• Xavier had a program record four players selected in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Additionally, two committed players were taken in the draft for the first time in program history.
• Xavier's four draft picks were: Zac Lowther (Comp. Round B, 74th pick, Baltimore Orioles), Rylan Bannon (8th Round, 250th pick, LA Dodgers), Garrett Schilling (18th Round, 536th pick, Colorado Rockies), Greg Jacknewitz (22nd Round, 666th pick, San Francisco Giants)
• XU has now had multiple picks in each of the last two seasons. In 2016, Dan Rizzie went to the New York Mets in the 13th round and Andre Jernigan followed as a 14th round selection of the Minnesota Twins.
• Xavier has had at least one player drafted in 11 of the last 13 years.
• 16 total XU players have been drafted since 2005.
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PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS |
• The defending BIG EAST Tournament champions, Xavier was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST in 2018 during an annual vote conducted by the league's head coaches.
• XU was picked to finish second in the league for the first time.
• The Musketeers were selected to finish fourth in each of their first three seasons in the league until being picked to win the BIG EAST ahead of the 2017 season.
• Chris Givin, Conor Grammes and Matt Kent were each selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
First place votes in ( )
1. St. John's – 35 points (5)
2. Xavier – 30 pts. (2)
3. Creighton – 24 pts.
4. Seton Hall – 23 pts.
5. Butler – 18 pts.
6. Georgetown – 11 pts.
7. Villanova – 6 pts.
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LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE |
• Xavier will play a 57-game schedule in 2018, including 15 home dates and the three home series at Hayden Field. XU will travel to nine different states as part of its road schedule.
• The 2018 schedule features five NCAA Tournament participants (Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, Dallas Baptist and St. John's). All five 2017 NCAA Tournament opponents were 40-game winners a year ago.
• Overall, the Musketeers will face a challenging schedule that features opponents that combined for a 727-629 (.536) record in 2017.
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XU TO HOST LEAGUE TOURNEY |
• Xavier will look to defend its title as the host of the 2018 BIG EAST Championships at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio. The four-team, double elimination tournament will run from May 24-27.
• It will be the first time Xavier has served as host of the league tournament. Prasco Park is about 20 miles north of Cincinnati and a 30-minute drive from Xavier's campus.
Players Mentioned
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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