Jernigan Homers Again as Baseball Routs NKU 8-1 on Road

Tuesday, April 19

Highland Heights, Ky.

3 P.M.

Xavier University

14-24

Northern Kentucky

14-22

Xavier

Northern Kentucky

Jernigan Homers Again as Baseball Routs NKU 8-1 on Road

04.19.16 | Baseball

Box Score

Senior shortstop has three homers in last seven at-bats

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletics Communication

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Senior shortstop Andre Jernigan left the yard again on Tuesday, giving him three homers in his last seven at-bats, as Xavier hit three longballs as a team and defeated Northern Kentucky, 8-1, at Bill Aker Complex.

The Musketeers improved to 14-24 overall with a third win in five games, while the Norse dropped to 14-22.

XU AT THE PLATE

· Andre Jernigan (2-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI) scored twice for the second straight game and hit his third homer in his last seven at-bats. He leads XU with 11 longballs on the year.
· Nate Soria had a streak of five consecutive multi-hit games snapped with an 0-for-4 afternoon. The sophomore is still hitting .500 (11-for-22) in his last six outings.
· Rylan Bannon (2-for-5, R, RBI) has now reached base in 16 of his last 17 games.
· Joe Gellenbeck went 2-for-5, swatting his ninth homer – a solo shot – in the eighth inning.
· Ethan Schmidt (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI) hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, his second of the season, and is now riding a three-game hitting streak.

XU ON THE MOUND

· Damien Richard pitched a career-high six innings, picking up the win to improve to 3-2 on the season. The sophomore righty scattered three hits and allowed just one run, while striking out four.
· Three freshmen – Trey Schramm, Taylor Williams and Sam Czabala – combined to toss three innings of scoreless relief after Richard exited. Williams fanned two in the eighth, while Czabala pitched a spotless ninth to close out the win.

HOW THE MUSKETEERS SCORED

SECOND INNING: Andre Jernigan led off the frame with a homer to left and was followed by Chris Givin, who tripled to right center. Roger Danison batted next and grounded out, plating Givin and collecting his third career RBI.
FOURTH INNING: Andre Jernigan led off with a double to left center, scoring on an error by the NKU right fielder. Batting next, Ethan Schmidt connected for a two-run homer to center field to give XU a 5-0 lead.
EIGHTH INNING: After NKU got one back in the fifth, Xavier responded with a solo shot by Joe Gellenbeck to right.
NINTH INNING: With one out, Matt Fallon walked and stole second. Rylan Bannon then brought him around with a double to center field. The Musketeers got their final run when Will LaRue smacked a sacrifice fly to center to score Bannon.

UP NEXT

· Xavier returns to the diamond on Wednesday, playing Indiana at 3 p.m. LHP Trent Astle will get the ball for the Musketeers.