Xavier University Athletics
Friday, March 24
Hayden Field
3 p.m.
Xavier University
vs
Illinois State
Baseball Hosts Illinois State in First Three-Game Home Series of 2017
03.22.17 | Baseball
Musketeers look to keep rolling, enter weekend with four-game winning streak
CINCINNATI – Winners of four straight, Xavier baseball welcomes Illinois State to Hayden Field for a three-game series this weekend. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday with a Saturday doubleheader to follow, beginning at Noon.
XU comes into the series at 11-10 overall, while Illinois State comes into the game at 5-13.
• Junior third baseman Rylan Bannon has recovered from a slow start, transitioning into the third spot in the lineup after beginning the year in the two-hole.
• After a 2-for-19 (.105) start to the year at Troy, Bannon has recorded a 20-for-61 (.328) line in his last 17 games with 12 runs, five doubles, five homers and 13 RBI.
• Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year Joe Gellenbeck ranks 18th nationally with 19 walks on the young season.
• Gellenbeck's on-base percentage is second on the team at .398 and he has walked nearly as many times as he has struck out this year (19-to-22).
• Sophomore Matt Kent is off to an unbelievable start to 2017, going 3-0 in eight appearances without allowing a run (earned or unearned) in 21.2 innings.
• The righty has allowed 18 hits and struck out 14, while holding opponents to just a .237 batting average.
• Kent's perfect ERA ranks first in the NCAA amongst qualified pitchers. There are only four qualified pitchers with a 0.00 ERA in Division I this season. To qualify, a pitcher must have one inning pitched per team game.
• Kent is one of just two pitchers in college baseball to have thrown 19 innings or more without surrendering a run this season. The other is BIG EAST foe Ryan Testani of Seton Hall, who has thrown 19 scoreless frames.
• 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 30.2 innings in relief with a 0.00 ERA.
• Xavier junior Garrett Schilling is transitioning to the rotation in 2017 after serving in the bullpen for his first two years on the team.
• Against Ohio State on Sunday, Schilling set a new career-high with six strikeouts.
• 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 19 errors in 21 games this season and holds a .975 fielding percentage.
• The Musketeers also rank 41st in the nation with 19 double plays this season.
• XU tied a school record in 2016 with a .974 fielding percentage.
• 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 brings back 26 letterwinners from its most recent title run.
• Six everyday starters are back for the Musketeers. XU also brings back 13 pitchers, 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.
• XU returns quantity and quality, bringing back All-BIG EAST First Team selections Rylan Bannon and Nate Soria, as well as All-BIG EAST Second Team honorees Zac Lowther, Joe Gellenbeck and Garrett Schilling.
• Freshman Conor Grammes leads XU with a .304 batting average, 24 hits, six doubles and eight multi-hit games on the season.
• He 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.
• He 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 a top option out of the bullpen, logging nine innings in six appearances with a 5.00 ERA.
• 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.
• After a 11-10 start to the season, his all-time record is now 318-341 (.483).
• One of just four unanimous preseason All-BIG EAST selections, senior Joe Gellenbeck was named the program's first-ever preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year in December. The lefty swinger had a breakout season in 2016, homering in 10 of XU's 15 weekend series and leading the BIG EAST with 51 RBI and 125 total bases. A force in the middle of the lineup, the Lebanon, Ohio native and St. Xavier grad also ranked second for Xavier with 13 homers, 16 doubles, 41 runs, 70 hits and a .508 slugging percentage.
• Clutch in big moments, Gellenbeck had back-to-back walk-off hits to clinch a series win over Creighton in mid-May in addition to a game-tying homer in the third inning of the 2016 BIG EAST Championship game.
• Gellenbeck played in and tied all 62 games for Xavier last season, tying a school record, while also hitting .300 (9-for-30) with a homer and six RBI in seven postseason starts.
• Seven Musketeers – Nate Soria, Joe Gellenbeck, Chris Givin, Rylan Bannon, Will LaRue, Zac Lowther and Garrett Schilling – were selected by the league's coaches as Preseason All-BIG EAST honorees – the most for the program since joining the league for the 2014 season.
• Xavier had two preseason All-BIG EAST selections in each of the last two seasons and had one selection during its first year in the league.
• The seven selections more than doubles the total preseason All-BIG EAST picks in Xavier's proram history. The Musketeers had five overall in the last three seasons.
• Each of the selections is a first-time honoree.
• Five juniors, one senior and one sophomore were honored for Xavier.
• 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 on Tuesday.
• 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.
XU comes into the series at 11-10 overall, while Illinois State comes into the game at 5-13.
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PROBABLE PITCHERS |
| Game | Xavier | Wright State |
| 1 | Zac Lowther, LHP -- 2.36 ERA, 26.2 IP, 36 K |
Matt Walker, LHP -- 6.75 ERA, 8 IP, 7 K |
| 2 | Garrett Schilling, RHP -- 3.86 ERA, 28 IP, 21 K |
Brent Headrick, LHP -- 6.00 ERA, 15 IP, 5 K |
| 3 | Greg Jacknewitz, LHP -- 4.13 ERA, 24 IP, 25 K |
Brady Huffman, RHP -- 4.40 ERA, 14.1 IP, 8 K |
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PROJECTED LINEUP |
| Name | Class | Position | Hometown (HS) | Notes |
| Mitch Gallagher | JR | SS | Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy) | Has hit .315 in last 17 games, going 17-for-54 against Penn State, Charlotte, Georgia, Southern Miss, Louisville, Ohio State and Wright State... went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI in midweek win over Wright State... drove in three runs, including a walk-off sacrifice fly in 5-4 win over Ohio State on Sunday (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 has settled into shortstop role as regular starter Chris Givin deals with an injury... 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... |
| Joe Gellenbeck | SR | RF | Lebanon, Ohio (St. Xavier) | Named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (3/6 & 3/13) twice already this season... hit walk-off two run homer against Ohio State on Sunday (3/19)... ranks 18th in the nation with 19 walks this season, including seven during XU's opening weekend at Troy... has reached base in 17 of 21 games this season... preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year... unanimous preseason All-BIG EAST selection... 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... |
| Rylan Bannon | JR | 3B | Joliet, Ill. (Joliet Catholic) |
Began season 2-for-19 (.105) but has hit .328 (20-for-61) in last 17 games with 12 runs, five doubles, five homers and 13 RBI... leads team with five homers on the season... named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after Penn State series (2/27), in which he hit .500 (8-for-16) with two homer and eight RBI in four games... went 6-for-8 (.750) in doubleheader sweep against PSU (2/25)... 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 sparkplug 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... |
| Connor Grammes | FR | 2B | McLean, Va. (McLean) | Leads team with eight multi-hit games... named BIG EAST Player of the Week for first time in career on Tuesday after hitting .571 (8-for-14) with 12 total bases in a 3-1 week for XU, including a sweep of Ohio State... 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 logged nine innings out of the bullpen... 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... |
| Nate Soria | JR | C | Homer Glen, Ill. (St. Rita of Cascia) | Named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... fourth straight year XU has had a catcher on the list... rebounded from a tough series (1-for-15) against PSU 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... preseason All-BIG EAST selection... 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... has reached base in 79 of last 100 games going back to 2015... returning to catcher role after serving as an outfielder/DH during sophomore season... |
| Nate Monastra | FR | 1B | Lewis Center, Ohio (Olentangy) | Went 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs scored and hit second homer of season on Tuesday against Wright State... went 3-for-9 with a double and two RBI in a pair of games against Georgia (3/7-8)... went 2-for-3 with a homer and double in his first two college at-bats at Troy (2/18)... hit .456 with 28 RBI as a high school senior... was ranked as the second-best catching prospect in the state of Ohio by Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report... |
| Will LaRue | JR | LF | Evansville, Ind. (Mater Dei) |
One of the top stolen base threats in the nation... leads team with eight steals... 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)... preseason All-BIG EAST selection... appeared in 61 games with 60 starts during a breakout season... became one of the nation's best basestealers... 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... |
| Matt Fallon | SR | CF | Glenview, Ill. (Loyola) | Hit .400 (6-for-15) in 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... |
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PROBABLE STARTERS |
| Zac Lowther | JR | LHP | Brooklyn Heights, Ohio (Cuyahoga Heights) | Preseason All-BIG EAST selection... has allowed just 13 hits in 26.2 innings, ranking 14th nationally with 4.39 hits allowed per nine innings... widely considered to be the top MLB Draft prospect in the BIG EAST... led prestigious Cape Cod League in strikeouts over the summer... set a new career-high with 11 strikeouts in six innings of one-run ball in last start 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... has gone at least five innings in 19 of his last 21 starts... 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... |
| Garrett Schilling | JR | RHP | Clawson, Mich. (Bishop Foley) | Preseason All-BIG EAST selection... struck out career-high six on Sunday against Ohio State (3/19)... made first career start at Troy, throwing seven innings of one-run ball and leaving with just 72 pitches thrown (2/18)... continued his hot start with six innings without an earned run against PSU (2/25)... 2016 All-BIG EAST Second Team selection... 2016 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team... made a team-leading 29 appearances out of the bullpen, tied for sixth in XU single season history... turned in one of the best season's in XU history by a closer... set a new Xavier single season record, while leading the BIG EAST and ranking seventh in NCAA Division I with 14 saves... led team with a 1.91 ERA, which ranks tied for eighth in XU single season history... tied for third on team with four wins... third in the league with 24 games finished... |
| Greg Jacknewitz | SR | LHP | Delaware, Ohio (Bishop Watterson) | Turned in six innings of one-run ball, striking out six against Ohio State last Sunday (3/19)... had best start of XU career against Penn State (2/26)... tied a career-high with seven innings, allowing zero runs and striking out a career-high 13 against the Nittany Lions... struck out five in 5.2 innings, allowing three earned runs in series finale at Troy... made 16 appearances and nine starts in 2016... was fifth on team with 53 innings pitched and third on the team in strikeouts with 39... helped clinch the BIG EAST regular season title with two innings of scoreless relief in a win against Villanova... made a team-high 20 appearances and ranked sixth in the nation with 5.37 hits allowed per game as a sophomore in 2015... |
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RIDING RYLAN |
• Junior third baseman Rylan Bannon has recovered from a slow start, transitioning into the third spot in the lineup after beginning the year in the two-hole.
• After a 2-for-19 (.105) start to the year at Troy, Bannon has recorded a 20-for-61 (.328) line in his last 17 games with 12 runs, five doubles, five homers and 13 RBI.
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WAIT FOR THE GOOD PITCHES |
• Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year Joe Gellenbeck ranks 18th nationally with 19 walks on the young season.
• Gellenbeck's on-base percentage is second on the team at .398 and he has walked nearly as many times as he has struck out this year (19-to-22).
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THE OTHER INVINCIBLE KENT |
• Sophomore Matt Kent is off to an unbelievable start to 2017, going 3-0 in eight appearances without allowing a run (earned or unearned) in 21.2 innings.
• The righty has allowed 18 hits and struck out 14, while holding opponents to just a .237 batting average.
• Kent's perfect ERA ranks first in the NCAA amongst qualified pitchers. There are only four qualified pitchers with a 0.00 ERA in Division I this season. To qualify, a pitcher must have one inning pitched per team game.
• Kent is one of just two pitchers in college baseball to have thrown 19 innings or more without surrendering a run this season. The other is BIG EAST foe Ryan Testani of Seton Hall, who has thrown 19 scoreless frames.
• 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 30.2 innings in relief with a 0.00 ERA.
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SCHILLING AT THE START |
• Xavier junior Garrett Schilling is transitioning to the rotation in 2017 after serving in the bullpen for his first two years on the team.
• Against Ohio State on Sunday, Schilling set a new career-high with six strikeouts.
• 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 19 errors in 21 games this season and holds a .975 fielding percentage.
• The Musketeers also rank 41st in the nation with 19 double plays this season.
• XU tied a school record in 2016 with a .974 fielding percentage.
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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 brings back 26 letterwinners from its most recent title run.
• Six everyday starters are back for the Musketeers. XU also brings back 13 pitchers, 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.
• XU returns quantity and quality, bringing back All-BIG EAST First Team selections Rylan Bannon and Nate Soria, as well as All-BIG EAST Second Team honorees Zac Lowther, Joe Gellenbeck and Garrett Schilling.
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THE KID CAN PLAY |
• Freshman Conor Grammes leads XU with a .304 batting average, 24 hits, six doubles and eight multi-hit games on the season.
• He 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.
• He 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 a top option out of the bullpen, logging nine innings in six appearances with a 5.00 ERA.
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2017 HONORS |
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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.
• After a 11-10 start to the season, his all-time record is now 318-341 (.483).
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XU'S FIRST PRESEASON POY |
• One of just four unanimous preseason All-BIG EAST selections, senior Joe Gellenbeck was named the program's first-ever preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year in December. The lefty swinger had a breakout season in 2016, homering in 10 of XU's 15 weekend series and leading the BIG EAST with 51 RBI and 125 total bases. A force in the middle of the lineup, the Lebanon, Ohio native and St. Xavier grad also ranked second for Xavier with 13 homers, 16 doubles, 41 runs, 70 hits and a .508 slugging percentage.
• Clutch in big moments, Gellenbeck had back-to-back walk-off hits to clinch a series win over Creighton in mid-May in addition to a game-tying homer in the third inning of the 2016 BIG EAST Championship game.
• Gellenbeck played in and tied all 62 games for Xavier last season, tying a school record, while also hitting .300 (9-for-30) with a homer and six RBI in seven postseason starts.
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SEVEN ALL-BIG EAST PICKS |
• Seven Musketeers – Nate Soria, Joe Gellenbeck, Chris Givin, Rylan Bannon, Will LaRue, Zac Lowther and Garrett Schilling – were selected by the league's coaches as Preseason All-BIG EAST honorees – the most for the program since joining the league for the 2014 season.
• Xavier had two preseason All-BIG EAST selections in each of the last two seasons and had one selection during its first year in the league.
• The seven selections more than doubles the total preseason All-BIG EAST picks in Xavier's proram history. The Musketeers had five overall in the last three seasons.
• Each of the selections is a first-time honoree.
• Five juniors, one senior and one sophomore were honored for Xavier.
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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 on Tuesday.
• 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.
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