Baseball Blanked at No. 6/7 Kentucky

Wednesday, April 26

Lexington, Ky.

7 p.m.

Xavier University

24-18

Kentucky

29-13

Xavier

Kentucky

04.26.17 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)

Musketeers left seven on base, done in by a five-run seventh at UK

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletic Communications

LEXINGTON - Xavier baseball trailed by just one run after the sixth inning at No. 6/7 Kentucky, but a big seventh by the Wildcats put the game out of reach for the Musketeers in a 6-0 road loss on Wednesday night at Cliff Hagan Stadium.

Xavier loaded the bases in the seventh and stranded two more in the eighth, failing to capitalize with runners aboard after a strong start by UK freshman Zack Thompson, who allowed just one hit in six innings of work.

XU fell to 24-18 with the loss, while Kentucky improved to 29-13.

XU AT THE PLATE

• Xavier was held scoreless for just the fifth time this season and the team's three hits were one off a season low.
• Junior Rylan Bannon (1-for-3, BB) reached three times and stole his 12th base of the season. He now has eight hits in his last 11 at bats and has reached in 17 straight games.
• With another hit today, Bannon also extended his team-best hitting streak to eight games.
• Chris Givin (1-for-3) and Mitch Gallagher (1-for-4) also collected hits for the Musketeers.
• Blaine Griffiths went 0-for-1, but reached twice via the walk. He has now been on base in 10 straight games for XU.
• XU drew five walks as a team and has had a free pass in all 42 games this season.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Senior lefty Brad Kirschner kept UK off the board for four innings, scattering three hits and striking out three while throwing 67 pitches.
• Freshman David Williams (1-1) struck out one in two innings, allowing just one run to cross on a ground out.
• Freshman Conor Grammes ran into trouble in the seventh, allowing four hits and five runs while recording just one out.
• Sophomore right hander Matt Kent came on to record the final two outs of the seventh, striking out one and lowering his season ERA to 1.47.
• Senior righty Jason Hall struck out one and worked around a hit in the eighth, capping the game with a scoreless inning of work.

NEXT UP

• Xavier continues BIG EAST play at Creighton, traveling to Omaha, Neb. for three this weekend. First pitch in the series is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday night.