BIG EAST Champion Xavier Baseball Announces 2018 Schedule

CINCINNATI – Xavier baseball announced its complete 57-game 2018 schedule on Tuesday, setting the stage for 15 home dates, three home series at Hayden Field and road trips to nine different states.

First pitch of the season will come at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 16 in the first of three games at Florida State. BIG EAST action begins on Friday, April 6 with XU traveling to Georgetown.

Xavier will look to defend its title as the host of the 2018 BIG EAST Championships at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio. The four-team, double elimination tournament will run from May 24-27.

The 2018 schedule features five NCAA Tournament participants (Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, Dallas Baptist and St. John's). All five 2017 NCAA Tournament opponents were 40-game winners a year ago.

Overall, the Musketeers will face a challenging schedule that features opponents that combined for a 727-629 (.536) record in 2017.

ABOUT XAVIER

The Musketeers are coming off a third BIG EAST Championship run in four seasons after sweeping their way to a BIG EAST Championship in Omaha, Neb. this past May. Xavier went 34-27 (10-6 BIG EAST) a year ago and brings back 21 letterwinners from its most recent title run.

Six everyday starters will be back for the Musketeers, including All-BIG EAST players Matt Kent, Chris Givin and Blaine Griffiths.

THE OPPONENTS

2018 Opening Series
at FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
Series Info: Friday-Sunday, Feb. 16-18 at FSU's Dick Howser Stadium (Three Games)
2017 Record: 46-23, 14-14 (ACC)
Postseason: NCAA Tallahassee Regional & Super Regional Champion, College World Series

Notable:
• Baseball America ranks Florida State's incoming class first in the Atlantic Coast Conference and seventh nationally, while D1baseball.com ranks the Seminoles' class fifth in the nation.
• The Seminoles welcome 14 newcomers to a team that is coming off a No. 6 final ranking in 2017 and a first trip to the College World Series since 2012.
• Returning infielder Drew Mendoza was selected to multiple Freshman All-America teams after hitting .270 with 10 homers and 33 RBI in his first year with FSU.
• Junior Jackson Lueck returns after leading the Seminoles with a .318 batting average last season in 56 games.
• XU has never played Florida State.

at KENTUCKY WILDCATS
Series Info: Wednesday, Feb. 21 at UK's Cliff Hagan Stadium (One Game) and Tuesday, Mar. 20 at Xavier's Hayden Field (One Game)
2017 Record: 43-23, 19-11 (SEC)
NCAA Tournament: Lexington Regional Champions, Super Regionals

Notable:
• Compiled a 30-6 record at home in 2017.
• The Wildcats ended the 2017 campaign ranked No. 10 in the nation after reaching the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time ever.
• UK's 19 wins in SEC play were the second-most in school history and came after the Wildcats were selected to finish in the bottom half of the league in the SEC preseason poll.
• Kentucky returns SEC Pitcher of the Year Sean Hjelle and All-American outfielder Tristan Pompey in addition to a top-10 rated recruiting class.
• UK leads the all-time series against Xavier, 27-1.

at WOFFORD TERRIERS
Series Info: Friday, Feb. 23 at Wofford's Russell C. King Field (One Game)
2017 Record: 28-30, 13-11 (SoCon)
Postseason: SoCon Championships Semifinalist

Notable:
• Wofford won at least 20 games for the seventh straight season in 2017, posting a winning record in the SoCon for a second straight year.
• In 2018, the Terriers return 20 players and welcome 13 newcomers to the team.
• The Terriers ranked fourth in the nation with 124 stolen bases last year and have posted five straight seasons with 100-plus steals, which is the longest active streak in Division I.
• All-SoCon Outfielder McLain Bradley returns for his senior season after leading Wofford with a .365 batting average during his junior season.
• Wofford leads the all-time series against Xavier, 2-1.

vs. PRESBYTERIAN BLUE HOSE
Series Info: Saturday, Feb. 24 at USC Upstate's Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park (One Game)
2017 Record: 32-29, 15-9 (Big South)
Postseason: Big South Championships Runner-Up

Notable:
• The Blue Hose are coming off a 32-win season, the second-most wins by the program during Presbyterian's Division I era.
• Last season was the first winning season for Presbyterian as a Division I program and its first winning record since 2001.
• Senior Nick Wise and junior Nick Guimbarda return after making the Big South All-Tournament Team at the end of last season. Wise hit .302 with six homers and 22 RBI, while Guimbarda matched him at .302 with four homers and 31 RBI.
• Xavier leads the all-time series against Presbyterian, 1-0.

at USC UPSTATE SPARTANS
Series Info: Sunday, Feb. 25 at USC Upstate's Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park (One Game)
2017 Record: 24-31 (7-14 Atlantic Sun)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• USC Upstate lost standout junior Charlie Carpenter to the MLB Draft after the catcher hit .357 with 11 homers and 46 RBI last season. He was the 28th player drafted in program history. Carpenter hit 11 of the team's 21 homers last season.
• Jake Bourke and Brett Hawkins return for the Spartans after earning 2017 ASUN All-Freshman Team honors. Bourke hit .287 with 21 RBI in 49 games as a freshman, while Hawkins hit .318 in 35 games.
• Xavier leads the all-time series against USC Upstate, 4-0.

at LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
Series Info: Tuesday, Feb. 27 at Louisville's Jim Patterson Stadium (One Game)
2017 Record: 53-12, 23-6 (ACC)
Postseason: NCAA Tournament Louisville Regional & Super Regional Champion, NCAA College World Series Participant

Notable:
• XU meets Louisville for a non-conference road game for the second straight season. The Musketeers trail the all-time series 36-17.
• Louisville has hosted four straight NCAA Super Regionals and won at least 40 games in six straight seasons. The Cardinals reached the College World Series for the fourth time in program history last season.
• In 2017, Louisville hosted Xavier in the NCAA Louisville Regional and won 8-7 in a back-and-forth affair.
• Former Cardinal first baseman and left-handed pitcher Brendan McKay received the Golden Spikes Award, which is an annual award given to the top amateur baseball player in the United States.
• Seven Louisville players were drafted in the 2017 MLB draft and McKay was selected as the No. 4 overall draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays.

at SAINT MARY'S GAELS
Series Info: Friday-Sunday, March 2-4 at Saint Mary's Louis Guisto Field (Three Games)
2017 Record: 37-20, 18-9 (WCC)
Postseason: West Coast Conference Championship Participant

Notable:
• Two Gaels were selected in the top-five rounds of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft, with right-handed pitcher Drew Strotman going in the fourth round to the Tampa Bay Rays and infielder Zach Kirtley going in the fifth round to the St. Louis Cardinals. SMC has had five picks in the top-10 rounds in the last two years.
• Freshman Kevin Milam was named to seven all-america lists, including: D1 Baseball All-America Third Team, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-America Third Team, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman of the Year (and Freshmen All-American) and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Freshmen All-American first team. Millam hit .313 with 12 homers (including three grand slams), 14 doubles and 55 RBI. He also posted a 2.27 ERA in 22 appearances on the mound, striking out 31 in 39.2 innings.
• 22 of the team's 37 wins last season were come-from-behind victories.
• Eight different Gaels combined to hit 41 homers in 2017.
• Xavier has never played Saint Mary's.

at CALIFORNIA BEARS
Series Info: Tuesday, March 6 at Cal's Evans Diamond (One Game)
2017 Record: 25-29, 15-15 (PAC 12)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• A rebuilding team a year ago, Cal closed the 2017 season with a series win over No. 15 Arizona.
• The Bears have a new head coach in 2018, welcoming former pitching coach Mike Neu back to the program after a pair of 40-win seasons at Pacific.
• Returning sophomore Tanner Dodson was the batting champion in the Cape Cod League over the summer, hitting .365 for the Wareham Gatemen.
• Returning sophomore Andrew Vaughn was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-American First Team and was invited to the USA Baseball Camp.
• At the end of the 2016 Major League regular season, former Bears, Mark Canha (Oakland A's), Brandon Morrow (San Diego Padres), Tyson Ross (San Diego Padres), Marcus Semien (Oakland A's), Erik Johnson (Chicago White Sox), Tony Renda (Cincinnati Reds) and Blake Smith (San Diego Padres) were all on MLB rosters.
• Two former Cal players served as Major League managers in 2016 with Bob Melvin (Oakland A's) and Bryan Price (Cincinnati Reds) each continuing their careers on the bench.
• Xavier has never played California.

at SAN FRANCISCO DONS
Series Info: Thursday-Saturday, March 8-10 at San Francisco's Benedetti Diamond (Four Games)
2017 Record: 29-28, 11-16 (WCC)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• At 29-28, the Dons are coming off their first winning season since making an NCAA appearance in 2013. San Francisco finished sixth in the West Coast Conference last season.
• First year Musketeer and current junior Matt Warkentin began his college career at San Francisco.
• 22 former Dons have played in the Major Leagues, most recently including Bradley Zimmer who made his MLB debut with the Cleveland Indians in 2017.
• Three San Francisco players were drafted in the 2017 MLB draft, marking a 13th consecutive year the Dons have had a player drafted.
• Xavier has never played San Francisco.

at WRIGHT STATE RAIDERS
Series Info: Tuesday, March 13 at Wright State's Nischwitz Stadium (One Game) and Tuesday, March 27 at Xavier's Hayden Field (One Game)
2017 Record: 38-21, 21-9 (Horizon League)
Postseason: Horizon League Tournament

Notable:
• Ryan Weiss returns to the WSU rotation after being named the Freshman of the Year in the Horizon League in 2017 and a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Second Team Freshman All-American by Perfect Game. The returning sophomore posted a 2.13 ERA in 88.2 innings last season, striking out 80 and limiting opponents to a .237 batting average.
• Wright State has had 30 players drafted all-time, including seven in the last three years.
• The Raiders missed the NCAA Tournament last season, but appeared in back-to-back regionals in 2015 and 2016. The program has had 35 or more wins in each of the last four years.
• Xavier trails the all-time series against Wright State, 35-29.

at MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS
Series Info: Friday-Saturday, March 16-17 at Miami's McKie Field (Two Games) and Sunday, March 18 at Xavier's Hayden Field (One Game)
2017 Record: 22-34, 8-16 (MAC)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• Miami leads the all-time series 43-26-1 and picked up wins in two-of-three contests during the 2017 season. XU won 9-4 at Hayden Field on April 5, but fell on the road and in the Joe Nuxhall Classic.
• Head coach Danny Hayden graduated from Xavier in 2008, playing his final three collegiate seasons at XU, where he served as captain of the 2008 team that seized the Atlantic 10 regular-season championship. He was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 47th round of the 2008 MLB draft.
• The RedHawks return a big bat in redshirt senior Ross Haffey, who hit a team-high .338 with 13 homers in 56 games on his way to All-MAC Second Team honors.

at EASTERN KENTUCKY COLONELS
Series Info: Wednesday, March 21 at Eastern Kentucky's Turkey Hughes Field (One Game) and Tuesday, April 3 at Xavier's Hayden Field (One Game)
2017 Record: 24-32, 10-20 (OVC)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• Six Colonels hit .305 or better last season and EKU returns junior Alex Holderbach, who hit .355 with 11 homers last season.
• Daniel Harris IV is ranked as the number one freshman in the OVC coming into the season and was a Perfect Game 500 recruit. He hit .492 as a high school senior.
• Last season, senior Ben Fisher led the team with an EKU record 25 homers and ranked third in the NCAA. He was drafted in the 21st round by the Miami Marlins.
• EKU leads the all-time series, 25-19.

at INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES
Series Info: Friday-Sunday, Mar. 23-25 at Indiana State's Sycamore Stadium (Three Games)
2017 Record: 29-26, 12-9 (MVC)
Postseason: MVC Tournament

Notable:
• Indiana State lost 10 seniors off last season's team, which pushed Dallas Baptist before a 6-5 loss in the MVC Championship title game.
• Four Sycamores were taken in the 2017 MLB draft: Will Kincanon (White Sox 11th round), Tyler Friis (Indians 21st round), Jeremy McKinney (Nationals 31st round) and Damon Olds (Royals 33rd round). It was the largest draft class for the Sycamores since 2009.
• Redshirt junior Dane Tofteland returns after setting the Indiana State single game record for RBIs (11) in the 2017 season.
• Indiana State leads the all-time series, 18-6.

vs SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY JAGUARS
Series Info: Friday, March 30 at Dallas Baptist' s Horner Ballpark (One Game)
2017 Record: 17-27, 10-14 (SWAC)
Postseason: SWAC Tournament

Notable:
• Kerrick Jackson takes over the program for his first year, replacing 33-year head coach Roger Cador. Jackson was formerly the assistant coach at Missouri and an area scout for the Washington Nationals.
• Southern won the 1959 NAIA National Championship led by future National Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock.
• The Jaguars have had 95 players drafted since 1965, including Major Leaguers José De León, Rickie Weeks and Fred Lewis since 2002.
• Xavier has never played Southern.

vs DALLAS BAPTIST PATRIOTS
Series Info: Friday-Saturday, March 30-31 at Dallas Baptist's Horner Ballpark (Two Games)
2017 Record: 42-21, 15-6 (MVC)
Postseason: MVC Conference Champions, NCAA Fort Worth Regional

Notable:
• Dallas Baptist has advance to the NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons, one of just 13 programs to do so, and also won 40-plus games for a fourth straight year in 2017.
• The Patriots have produced the 10th-most MLB Draft picks since 2012 with 33 players selected.
• Head coach Dan Heefner enters his 11th season as the 19th winningest active coach with a .651 career win percentage.
• The Patriots return 22 letterwinners, including six All-Missouri Valley Conference performers.
• Ryan Goins (Toronto Blue Jays) and Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs) are both former Patriots who now play in the MLB.
• Xavier has never played Dallas Baptist.

vs. GEORGETOWN HOYAS
Series Info: Friday-Sunday, April 6-8 at Georgetown's Shirley Povich's Field (Three Games)
2017 Record: 27-28, 4-14 (BIG EAST)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• All-BIG EAST Second Team selection Michael DeRenzi returns as Georgetown's leading hitter and ranked in the top ten in the BIG EAST with a .330 batting average in 2017. He led the Hoyas with 44 RBI, 45 runs and 12 stolen bases.
• Georgetown also brings back junior Ryan Weisenberg, who joined DeRenzi on the All-BIG EAST Second Team after hitting .265 with six homers as a sophomore.
• Xavier swept Georgetown at home last year and leads the all-time series, 8-4. The Musketeers out-scored the Hoyas 36-5 at Hayden Field.
• Georgetown reached the 25-win plateau for the fourth time in the past five years, tying for its third-most wins in program history last season.

vs SETON HALL PIRATES
Series Info: Friday-Sunday, April 13-15 at Seton Hall's Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field (Three Games)
2017 Record: 29-24, 10-8 (BIG EAST)
Postseason: BIG EAST Championships

Notable:
• Seton Hall reached the BIG EAST Championships for a seventh straight season in 2017, but will have to replace nine seniors and four MLB Draft selections this spring.
• Zach Prendergast (St. Louis Cardinals), Zach Schellenger (Boston Red Sox), Shane McCarthy (St. Louis Cardinals), and Chris Morris (Texas Rangers) were selected in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
• Junior left-handed pitcher Cullen Dana returns after posting a 3.40 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 79.1 innings last season.
• XU trails the all-time series against the Pirates, 7-6.

vs. CINCINNATI BEARCATS
Series Info: Wednesday, April 18 at Cincinnati's Marge Schott Stadium (One Game) and Tuesday, May 8 at Xavier's Hayden Field (One Game)
2017 Record: 28-30, 10-14 (AAC)
Postseason: AAC Tournament

Notable:
• Former Xavier head coach Scott Googins is in his first season as the head coach of rival Cincinnati.
• Two Bearcats, Ryan Noda (Toronto Blue Jays) and A.J. Bumpass (Cincinnati Reds), were selected in the 2017 MLB draft.
• XU took two of three against UC in 2017, winning once at Marge Schott Stadium and once at Hayden Field.
• The Bearcats lead the all-time series, 64-42.

vs CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS
Series Info: Friday-Sunday, April 20-22 at Xavier's Hayden Field (Three Games)
2017 Record: 24-25, 11-4 (BIG EAST)
Postseason: BIG EAST Championships Runner-Up

Notable:
• XU won two games against Creighton in Omaha last season, including a 7-6 thriller in the BIG EAST Championships. The Musketeers trail the all-time series 9-8, but have won six straight against CU.
• 26 Creighton players have been drafted since 2004 under head coach Ed Servais and three have reached the Major Leagues, including: Pat Venditte (Oakland A's, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners), Darin Ruf (Philadelphia Phillies), and Ty Blach (San Francisco Giants).
• Creighton returns sophomore outfielder Will Robertson, who was named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American during the 2017 season. Robertson hit .272 and finished with 10 doubles, three home runs, and 21 RBI.

vs. NORTHERN KENTUCKY NORSE
Series Info: Tuesday, April 24 at Northern Kentucky's Bill Acker Baseball Complex (One Game) and Tuesday, May 15 at Xavier's Hayden Field (One Game)
2017 Record: 25-33, 17-13 (Horizon League)
Postseason: Horizon League Tournament

Notable:
• First baseman and left-handed pitcher Trey Ganns was selected in the 2017 MLB draft (35th round) by the Boston Red Sox. He is the 13th player to be drafted under Todd Asalon and the third for NKU since the program transitioned to Division I.
• Redshirt junior Jake Richmond returns as the Norse's leading hitter after posting a .336 batting average and driving in 24 RBI, while the Horizon League's First Team designated hitter, Chad Roberts, also returns for NKU.
• NKU's 25 wins last season were its most since transitioning to Division I.
• Xavier leads the all-time series 32-19-1.

vs. ST. JOHN'S RED STORM
Series Info: Friday-Sunday, April 27-29 at Xavier's Hayden Field (Three Games)
2017 Record: 42-13, 13-5 (BIG EAST)
Postseason: BIG EAST Tournament Runner-Up, NCAA Nashville Regional

Notable:
• The Red Storm made their 36th NCAA Tournament appearance last season and gave the BIG EAST two participants in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since realignment.
• Xavier was swept in a three-game series at St. John's in 2017, but won twice against the Red Storm on their way to the BIG EAST Championship.
• Right-handed pitcher Sean Mooney returns after leading the league with an ERA of 1.71 during the 2017 campaign.
• St. John's had the top four hitters in the BIG EAST last season and redshirt senior John Valente returns after hitting .375 in 54 games a year ago.
• Joe Panik, the second baseman for the San Francisco Giants, is a Red Storm alum who was drafted in the first round of the 2011 MLB draft.
• St. John's leads the all-time series, 10-6.

vs. BUTLER BULLDOGS
Series Info: Friday-Sunday, May 4-6 at Butler's Bulldog Park (Three Games)
2017 Record: 31-20, 7-10 (BIG EAST)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• XU swept Butler 3-0 during their 2017 series, scoring 33 runs at Hayden Field. XU leads the all-time series 56-31.
• First Team All-BIG EAST selection Tyler Houston returns with fellow seniors Michael Hartnagel, Gehrig Parker and Garrett Christman. Ryan Pepiot, Connor Mitchell and Quentin Miller highlight the returning pitchers.
• Christman enters the season as Butler's top returning pitcher after recording an ERA of 2.60 in 55.1 innings during the 2017 season.
• Hartnagel is the Bulldogs' top returning hitter after a .328 campaign with 28 RBI in 2017.

vs. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Series Info: Thursday-Saturday, May 10-12 at Penn State's Medlar Field (Three Games)
2017 Record: 18-37, 4-19 (Big Ten)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• XU split the series last year with Penn State, 2-2, in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
• The Nittany Lions' Friday night starter, Sal Biasi, elected to forego his final year of NCAA eligibility and sign with the Kansas City Royals after being drafted in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB draft. Biasi was All-Big 10 Second Team as a junior, posting a 3.48 ERA over 72.1 innings.
• Fifth year head coach Rob Cooper and his team are one year removed from a 28-27 record and a 12-11 season in the tough Big 10 Conference, but are still looking for their first postseason berth since 2012.

vs. VILLANOVA WILDCATS
Series Info: Thursday-Saturday, May 17-19 at Xavier's Hayden Field (Three Games)
2017 Record: 14-33, 5-13 (BIG EAST)
Postseason: N/A

Notable:
• XU dropped two of last season's three-game set on the road against Villanova, but still holds an 8-5 edge in the all-time series.
• Ryan Doty returns for his final year as the Wildcats top pitcher after posting an ERA of 3.82 in 2017.
• Villanova will have two big holes to fill after lefty Hunter Schryver, one of the best pitchers in program history and a two-time First Team All-BIG EAST selection, was taken in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. Second baseman and leading hitter Todd Czinege was also chosen by the Colorado Rockies during the 29th round.

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