Gellenbeck's Big Day, Strong Pitching Lead Xavier Baseball to 7-1 Win Over Cincinnati

Tuesday, May 16

Hayden Field

3 p.m.

Xavier University

26-25

Cincinnati

27-26

Cincinnati

Xavier

Gellenbeck's Big Day, Strong Pitching Lead Xavier Baseball to 7-1 Win Over Cincinnati

05.16.17 | Baseball

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

Senior goes 3-for-3 with a homer and three runs scored as XU clinches season series against Bearcats

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier baseball used a four-run fourth and a pair of homers from Conor Grammes and Joe Gellenbeck to down crosstown rival Cincinnati 7-1 on Tuesday at Hayden Field.

Xavier moved a game over .500 at 26-25 with the win, snapping a seven-game losing streak and clinching the season series against the Bearcats.

UC fell to 27-26 with the loss.

NEXT UP

• The Musketeers welcome Georgetown to Cincinnati for their final BIG EAST regular season series, which will begin on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Hayden Field.

XU AT THE PLATE

• Xavier homered twice in the game and now has longballs in six of its last seven games.
• The Musketeers recorded 10 or more hits for the 24th time this season with 11 hits today. XU had at least 10 hits in all three games against the Bearcats this season.
• Joe Gellenbeck (3-for-3, 3 R, RBI) launched a solo homer to right in the third inning as part of a big day. The longball was his ninth of the season and first since April 11 at Wright State, a span of 17 games.
• Conor Grammes (2-for-5, R, 3 RBI) extended his hitting streak to eight games with a fifth inning homer, his sixth of the season. It was also his team-leading 20th multi-hit game.
• Sam Flamini (2-for-4) recorded his second multi-hit game of the season, both coming in the last five games for XU.
• Rylan Bannon (1-for-5, R), Mitch Gallagher (1-for-3, RBI), Ethan Schmidt (1-for-3, R, BB) and Matt Fallon (1-for-4, RBI) also produced hits for XU.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Senior Trent Astle got the start, covering four innings and striking out five Bearcats in a solid outing. The lefty departed after 67 pitches with a 2-1 lead.
• The bullpen picked Astle up from there, posting five scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out five.
• Freshman righty Conor Grammes threw scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth, striking out two and allowing just one walk.
• Senior lefty Brad Kirschner came on for the seventh, striking out one in a 1-2-3 inning. The appearance was the 85th of his career, which ranks third in program history.
• Trey Schramm worked around a hit for a scoreless eighth inning.
• Taylor Williams struck out two, stranding one runner in the ninth inning to close out the win.

HOW XU SCORED

SECOND INNING: Back-to-back singles by Joe Gellenbeck and Sam Flamini started a rally for XU as Cincinnati starter Cam Alldred then loaded the bases with a one out walk of Nate Soria. Matt Fallon batted with two outs, laying down a perfect bunt to the third base side for a run-scoring single.
THIRD INNING: Joe Gellenbeck deposited a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right for a solo homer, his ninth of the season, giving XU a 2-1 win.
FIFTH INNING: Will LaRue struck out, but reached on a wild pitch before Conor Grammes put one onto Victory Parkway for his sixth homer of the season to give XU a 4-1 lead. Rylan Bannon followed with a double down the left field line before a Joe Gellenbeck walk and a single by Sam Flamini loaded the bases. Mitch Gallagher then singled over the head of the UC third baseman to bring home another run and a sacrifice fly by Nate Soria made it 6-1.
EIGHTH INNING: Ethan Schmidt singled through the left side to begin the inning, stealing second and coming around to score on a two out single to left center by Conor Grammes.