Xavier University Athletics
Friday, February 26
Macon, Ga.
4 P.M.
Xavier University
at
Mercer
Baseball Continues Season-Opening Road Trip at Mercer
02.25.16 | Baseball
Musketeers look to rebound after series sweep at ASU
CINCINNATI – Xavier baseball looks to rebound from a season-opening sweep at perennial college powerhouse Arizona State, as the Musketeers travel to Macon, Ga. to face Mercer over the weekend.
XU (0-4) gets a Mercer team that has begun the year 3-1 overall, including an opening-weekend sweep of Radford and an extra innings 7-6 loss to Georgia on Wednesday.
• Just one year removed from a BIG EAST Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, Xavier is looking to rebound after a frustrating 15-38 (3-15 BIG EAST) season in 2015.
• Head coach Scott Googins is in his 11th season in 2016 with 19 returners, including All-BIG EAST pitcher Trent Astle and BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Nate Soria. Seniors Dan Rizzie and Andre Jernigan were also selected preseason All-BIG EAST.
• The Musketeers were swept in a four-game set at Arizona State last weekend, kicking off the season with four straight losses for the first time since 2010.
• Xavier has just three seniors on the 2016 roster after graduating 14 from its 2015 squad.
• The Musketeers lost 15 letterwinners overall and have 13 newcomers on the 2016 roster.
• Outside of junior Brad Kirschner, who entered the year with 99.1 career innings pitched, the options for Xavier in the bullpen came into 2016 with a combined 31 appearances and 32.2 innings pitched.• The bullpen options consist of 12 pitchers, but no seniors. Two juniors, four sophomores and six freshmen make up the 'pen.
• Seven arms came into 2016 without a single career appearance. Kent, Glass and Makarewicz will be making their respective career debuts when they next take the hill.
• Four true freshmen – Schramm, Williams, Malone and Czabala – all made their Xavier debuts at Arizona State last weekend.
• Xavier was picked fourth in the BIG EAST preseason coaches' poll, coming in just behind Seton Hall, Creighton and St. John's.
• It's the third straight season the Musketeers have been selected to finish fourth in the poll.
• Seniors Dan Rizzie and Andre Jernigan were both tabbed preseason All-BIG EAST in a vote by the league's coaches.
• Rizzie earned the honor for a second straight season and is back to full health after missing a majority of the 2015 season with a hand injury.
• Rizzie, a 2014 All-BIG EAST First Team selection, is one of the top returning catchers in the conference. After missing most of last season with a hand injury, Rizzie will look to get back to the production level he showed in 2014 when he hit .307 to go with five home runs, 41 runs scored and 38 RBI. He led Xavier with a 5-for-15 (.333) weekend at Arizona State.
• Jernigan earned preseason honors for the first time and has racked up 114 starts for Xavier at shortstop in the past two-plus seasons. A career .251 hitter, Jernigan brings a combination of speed and power to the shortstop position. In 2015, he led the Musketeers with 210 at-bats and 16 stolen bases, while ranking second on the team with 10 doubles and adding 13 multi-hit games.
• Senior Andre Jernigan has reached base the hard way at a prolific clip, getting hit by a pitch 11 times in each of the last two seasons. Both seasons are tied for eighth all-time in the XU record book.
• His career total of 24 – including two during Xavier's four-game weekend at ASU – is tied for sixth, trailing all-time leader Mark Elwell (41 HBP, 2009-13) by 17.
• Sophomore Nate Soria reached via HBP 12 times as a freshman, a mark that was tied for fifth in a single season by a Musketeer.
• Head coach Scott Googins, now in his 11th year at Xavier, is just 12 wins from tying former coach John Morrey for most wins in school history.
• Googins has 275 wins in his first 10 seasons, while Morrey had 287 over 12 years (1993-2004).
• The Musketeers second win of 2016 will give the program 1,000 wins all-time.
• Xavier enters the season with a 998-1,170 record in the modern era (since 1973).
• The Musketeers play their first 14 games on the road before welcoming local rival Miami (OH) to Hayden Field for the 2016 home opener on Wednesday, March 16 at 3:00 p.m.
• Xavier travels to eight states total as part of its 2016 regular season schedule, including Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and New Jersey. The Musketeers also play in Washington, D.C.
• Xavier's 22 opponents posted a combined record of 672-565 (.543) in 2015, which averages out to 30.5 wins per team.
• 15 of Xavier's 22 opponents had records of .500 or better last season.
• Xavier faces eight NCAA Tournament teams from 2015, including five in its first six series of the non-conference season.
• The combined 2015 record for XU's first six opponents is 226-140 (.618).
• Eight teams made trips to the 2015 NCAA Tournament, including Arizona State, Mercer, Wright State, Louisville, Morehead State, Indiana, Vanderbilt and St. John's.
• Xavier faces four teams that won at least 41 games in 2015, including Wright State (43), Vanderbilt (51), Louisville (47) and St. John's (41).
• In addition, eight more teams on the schedule posted 30-win seasons in 2015.
• The 2014 NCAA Champions, Vanderbilt advanced to the College World Series again last season before losing to Virginia in the best-of-three series. The Commodores have won at least 51 games in each of the last three seasons.
• The 2016 BIG EAST Tournament will be held in Aberdeen, Md. at Ripken Stadium – home of the Baltimore Orioles Single-A affiliate Aberdeen IronBirds.
• It will be the third different venue in the last three years for the conference tournament after stops in Brooklyn, N.Y. (2014) and Omaha, Neb. (2015).
• Xavier baseball has teamed up with the Vs. Cancer Foundation this spring to raise money to fight cancer nationally, as well as here in Cincinnati.
• The team will be collecting donations from now until April 10 when 31 members of the program have pledged to shave their heads in support of the cause. The head-shaving will occur following Xavier's home game against Morehead State.
XU (0-4) gets a Mercer team that has begun the year 3-1 overall, including an opening-weekend sweep of Radford and an extra innings 7-6 loss to Georgia on Wednesday.
 | THE WEEKEND |
| Date/Time | Follow Live | Projected Starters |
| Friday, Feb. 26 – 4:00 p.m. | Stats/@XavierBASE | LHP Zac Lowther vs. RHP Ryan Askew |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 – 2:00 p.m. | Stats/@XavierBASE | LHP Greg Jacknewitz vs. LHP Connor Herd |
| Sunday, Feb. 28 – 1:00 p.m. | Stats/@XavierBASE | LHP Trent Astle vs. RHP Kevin Coulter |
| AROUND THE HORN |
• Head coach Scott Googins is in his 11th season in 2016 with 19 returners, including All-BIG EAST pitcher Trent Astle and BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Nate Soria. Seniors Dan Rizzie and Andre Jernigan were also selected preseason All-BIG EAST.
• The Musketeers were swept in a four-game set at Arizona State last weekend, kicking off the season with four straight losses for the first time since 2010.
| YOUTH MOVEMENT |
• The Musketeers lost 15 letterwinners overall and have 13 newcomers on the 2016 roster.
| PROJECTED LINEUP |
| Name (Class) | Position | Notes |
| Matt Fallon (Jr.) | Center Field | Transfer from Black Hawk College... first season with XU |
| Nate Soria (So.) | Designated Hitter | Led 2015 team in BA (.335), 2B (11) and OBP (.420) |
| Daniel Rizzie (Sr.) | Catcher | 2016 Preseason All-BIG EAST... missed most of last season with hand injury |
| Joe Gellenbeck (Jr.) | Right Field | Hit first career home run in game two of 2/20 doubleheader at ASU |
| Ethan Schmidt (Jr.) | First Base | Started 3-of-4 games at ASU... Fourth on team with .286 batting average |
| David Morton (Sr.) | Second Base | Went 3-for-9 in two starts at ASU... |
| Andre Jernigan (Sr.) | Shortstop | 2016 Preseason All-BIG EAST... went 4-for-15 (.267) with a triple in ASU series |
| Rylan Bannon (So.) | Third Base | Started 48 games at third as a freshman... looking for first hit of 2016 |
| Will LaRue (So.) | Left Field | Scored twice and reached on three walks at ASU |
| PROJECTED ROTATION |
| Name (Class) | Throws | Notes |
| Zac Lowther (So.) | LHP | Lasted 5 IP in season debut at ASU, allowing four runs and striking out five |
| Greg Jacknewitz (Jr.) | LHP | Twirled 6.2 innings of two-run ball in game three at ASU |
| Trent Astle (Jr.) | LHP | 2015 All-BIG EAST Second Team... allowed four runs in 4.2 innings at ASU on Sunday |
| BULLPEN |
| Name (Class) | Throws | Notes |
| Garrett Schilling (So.) | RHP | Put up a career-high three innings of one-run relief in game four at ASU |
| Brandon Johnson (So.) | RHP | Allowed five earned runs in first career start in game three at ASU |
| Brad Kirschner (Jr.) | LHP | Struck out the only batter he faced in season debut at ASU |
| Trey Schramm (Fr.) | RHP | Threw 1.1 innings of scoreless relief in career debut last weekend |
| Damien Richard (So.) | RHP | Tossed a career-high three innings, allowing just one run in season debut at ASU |
| Taylor Williams (Fr.) | RHP | Sparkled in career debut, striking out six in 2.1 innings of relief at ASU |
| Jason Hall (Jr.) | RHP | Yet to appear in 2016 |
| Noah Malone (Fr.) | RHP | Made career debut, tossing 0.2 innings at ASU |
| Matt Kent (Fr.) | RHP | Yet to appear in 2016 |
| Sam Czabala (Fr.) | LHP | Tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in Xavier debut at ASU |
| Christian Glass (So.) | RHP | Yet to appear in 2016 |
| Mitchel Makarewicz (Fr.) | RHP | Yet to appear in 2016 |
| YOUTH MOVEMENT IN 'PEN |
• Seven arms came into 2016 without a single career appearance. Kent, Glass and Makarewicz will be making their respective career debuts when they next take the hill.
• Four true freshmen – Schramm, Williams, Malone and Czabala – all made their Xavier debuts at Arizona State last weekend.
| BIG EAST PROGNOSTICATIONS |
• It's the third straight season the Musketeers have been selected to finish fourth in the poll.
| TWO NAMED ALL-BIG EAST |
• Rizzie earned the honor for a second straight season and is back to full health after missing a majority of the 2015 season with a hand injury.
• Rizzie, a 2014 All-BIG EAST First Team selection, is one of the top returning catchers in the conference. After missing most of last season with a hand injury, Rizzie will look to get back to the production level he showed in 2014 when he hit .307 to go with five home runs, 41 runs scored and 38 RBI. He led Xavier with a 5-for-15 (.333) weekend at Arizona State.
• Jernigan earned preseason honors for the first time and has racked up 114 starts for Xavier at shortstop in the past two-plus seasons. A career .251 hitter, Jernigan brings a combination of speed and power to the shortstop position. In 2015, he led the Musketeers with 210 at-bats and 16 stolen bases, while ranking second on the team with 10 doubles and adding 13 multi-hit games.
| TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM |
• His career total of 24 – including two during Xavier's four-game weekend at ASU – is tied for sixth, trailing all-time leader Mark Elwell (41 HBP, 2009-13) by 17.
• Sophomore Nate Soria reached via HBP 12 times as a freshman, a mark that was tied for fifth in a single season by a Musketeer.
| GOOGINS CLOSING IN ON XU MARK |
• Googins has 275 wins in his first 10 seasons, while Morrey had 287 over 12 years (1993-2004).
| THE CENTURY MARK |
• Xavier enters the season with a 998-1,170 record in the modern era (since 1973).
| ROAD WARRIORS |
• Xavier travels to eight states total as part of its 2016 regular season schedule, including Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and New Jersey. The Musketeers also play in Washington, D.C.
| 2016 OPPONENT BREAKDOWN |
• 15 of Xavier's 22 opponents had records of .500 or better last season.
• Xavier faces eight NCAA Tournament teams from 2015, including five in its first six series of the non-conference season.
• The combined 2015 record for XU's first six opponents is 226-140 (.618).
• Eight teams made trips to the 2015 NCAA Tournament, including Arizona State, Mercer, Wright State, Louisville, Morehead State, Indiana, Vanderbilt and St. John's.
• Xavier faces four teams that won at least 41 games in 2015, including Wright State (43), Vanderbilt (51), Louisville (47) and St. John's (41).
• In addition, eight more teams on the schedule posted 30-win seasons in 2015.
• The 2014 NCAA Champions, Vanderbilt advanced to the College World Series again last season before losing to Virginia in the best-of-three series. The Commodores have won at least 51 games in each of the last three seasons.
| 2016 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT |
• It will be the third different venue in the last three years for the conference tournament after stops in Brooklyn, N.Y. (2014) and Omaha, Neb. (2015).
| XAVIER BASEBALL VS. CANCER |
• The team will be collecting donations from now until April 10 when 31 members of the program have pledged to shave their heads in support of the cause. The head-shaving will occur following Xavier's home game against Morehead State.
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ 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