Ninth Inning Rally Falls Short for Xavier Baseball in Weekend Opener

Friday, February 24

Cary, N.C.

3 p.m.

Xavier University

2-3

Penn State

1-3

Xavier

Penn State

Ninth Inning Rally Falls Short for Xavier Baseball in Weekend Opener

02.24.17 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Musketeers leave two on in the ninth, dropping first game of series to Penn State

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletics Communication

CARY, N.C. - Xavier baseball had a ninth inning rally fell short as the Musketeers fell 7-5 to open the weekend against Penn State at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

Xavier stranded a pair in the ninth after getting within two on a wild pitch, but the threat was ended by a fielder's choice play.

With the loss, XU drops to 2-3 on the young season. Penn State picked up its first win to move to 1-3 after an opening sweep at No. 1 TCU last week.

XU AT THE PLATE

• Rylan Bannon hit his first home run of the season in the fifth inning and finished the day 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI.
• Chris Givin (1-for-4, 2 R), Joe Gellenbeck (1-for-5, RBI), Ethan Schmidt (1-for-3, RBI) and Matt Fallon (1-for-3, R) also collected hits for XU.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Zac Lowther made his second start of the season, lasting 3.2 innings and giving up three earned runs. The junior lefty struck out six, including all three PSU batters he faced in the first, but walked five and was chased early.
• It was just the second time in his last 18 starts that Lowther failed to reach the fifth inning.
• Brad Kirschner was solid in relief, tossing 3.1 innings with three strikeouts and allowing just one earned run.
• Taylor Williams finished out the game, stranding three in the ninth.

HOW XU SCORED

FIRST INNING: Chris Givin led off with a double to center, coming around to score on a fielding error by the PSU second baseman. Joe Gellenbeck was credited with an RBI on the play.
FIFTH INNING: Matt Fallon was hit by a pitch to begin the frame before Chris Givin reached on a fielder's choice. Givin would come around to score on a two-run homer to left by Rylan Bannon.
SIXTH INNING: Mitch Gallagher worked a one-out walk and was followed by Ethan Schmidt, who doubled to left to bring Gallagher home.
NINTH INNING: Matt Fallon singled to center to open the inning, going to third on a double to left by Rylan Bannon. With two outs, freshman Conor Grammes drew a walk on a wild pitch that allowed Fallon to cross the plate.

UP NEXT

• Xavier returns to the diamond on Saturday for the first game of a doubleheader against Penn State, beginning at Noon ET.