Friday, February 23
Spartanburg, SC
5 p.m.
Xavier University
at
Wofford College
Baseball Travels to Spartanburg, S.C. for Three Game Weekend
02.22.18 | Baseball
Live Stats (Wofford)Watch (Wofford)Live Stats (Presbyterian)Live Stats (USC Upstate)Watch (USC Upstate)
Musketeers will face three separate opponents in Wofford, Presbyterian and USC Upstate
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Xavier baseball continues its early season road swing, traveling to South Carolina this weekend for games against three different opponents in Wofford, USC Upstate and Presbyterian.
XU kicks off the weekend on Friday at 5 p.m., facing Wofford, and continues the weekend with a 12 p.m. game against Presbyterian on Saturday and a 1 p.m. game against USC Upstate at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Musketeers (1-3) began their season falling in a three-game sweep at the hands of No. 5 Florida State in Tallahassee, but knocked off No. 8 Kentucky on Tuesday to deliver head coach Billy O'Conner his first career win in dramatic fashion.
Xavier is coming off its second straight BIG EAST Championship, beginning a new era with first year head coach Billy O'Conner after finishing the 2017 season with a 34-27 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament Louisville Regional Final. XU has made two straight appearances in a regional title game.
• Wofford leads the all-time series against Xavier, 2-1.
• Xavier leads the all-time series against Presbyterian, 1-0.
• Xavier leads the all-time series against USC Upstate, 4-0.
• Wofford is off to a 1-3 start this season with its lone win coming against Dayton. The Terriers lost to No. 8 Kentucky, 6-1, in their 2018 opener.
• 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.
• Presbyterian is off to a 2-4 start with both wins coming in a season-opening series against La Salle. PC lost twice last week at No. 10 Vanderbilt by a combined 22-3 score.
• 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.
• USC Upstate is off to a 2-2-1 start, beating Dayton and Winthrop and tying against Fordham in its first five games.
• 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.
• 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. XU swept the regular season and tournament titles in 2016 and also won the tournament in 2014, its first year in the league.
• 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.
• Since joining the league in 2014, Xavier has won three of the four BIG EAST Championships (2014, 2016, 2017) and ranks third all-time in league championships with Seton Hall, Rutgers and Connecticut. XU and Seton Hall are tied for the most BIG EAST titles amongst current league members.
• With back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017, Xavier became the first team since Louisville in 2008 and 2009 to repeat as tournament champions.
• After a decorated playing career and four years as an assistant on the Xavier baseball staff, Billy O'Conner was named the program's seventh head coach in June following Scott Googins' departure after 12 seasons.
• Googins coached O'Conner as a player and was the program's all-time winningest coach at 341-357 (.489) and won four conference titles before accepting a position at Cincinnati in June.
• During his time on the staff, XU has posted three 30-win seasons, made three appearances in the NCAA Tournament and had eight players selected in the MLB First Year Player Draft. That number includes back-to-back years with multiple picks and a program record four selections in the 2017 draft.
• Prior to his time as an assistant at XU, O'Conner spent one year as an assistant at Northern Kentucky and two years in the volunteer assistant role at Xavier.
• Xavier's 34 wins were second-most in school history and its .557 winning percentage was seventh-best in program history.
• XU swept its way to the BIG EAST title for a second straight year, improving to 9-1 all-time in the conference tournament.
• XU advanced to an NCAA Tournament Regional Final for the second straight year with a 2-2 record, defeating Oklahoma and Radford in the national tournament. Prior to 2016, the program had never won multiple games in an NCAA Tournament.
• Xavier went 10-6 in BIG EAST play to clinch third in the league and qualified for the BIG EAST Championships for the third time in four seasons as a member school.
• Xavier had back-to-back 30+ win seasons for just the second time in school history.
• Xavier set school records for team fielding percentage (.977) and strikeouts (461).
• XU hit the third most homers in a single season in program history as 14 different players left the yard.
• Due to graduation and the MLB Draft, Xavier lost seven pitchers, 60 starts and 373.1 innings of production from a year ago. That is roughly 70 percent of last year's innings pitched.
• Closer Trey Schramm is the lone returner to have started a game last season.
• Xavier will begin the year with two true freshmen in the rotation in lefties Trevor Olson and Nick Zwack.
• Senior Damien Richard will serve as the Sunday starter after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
• The opening weekend rotation came into the season with just five starts and 52.2 innings of career experience, all belonging to Damien Richard.
• Zac Lowther was the highest-ever selection by a Xavier baseball player this past June, going in the second round compensatory selections. XU's previous high pick was Seth Willoughby, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2012 by the Colorado Rockies.
• Xavier had a program record four players selected in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Additionally, two committed players were taken in the draft for the first time in program history.
• Xavier's four draft picks were: Zac Lowther (Comp. Round B, 74th pick, Baltimore Orioles), Rylan Bannon (8th Round, 250th pick, LA Dodgers), Garrett Schilling (18th Round, 536th pick, Colorado Rockies), Greg Jacknewitz (22nd Round, 666th pick, San Francisco Giants)
• XU has now had multiple picks in each of the last two seasons. In 2016, Dan Rizzie went to the New York Mets in the 13th round and Andre Jernigan followed as a 14th round selection of the Minnesota Twins.
• Xavier has had at least one player drafted in 11 of the last 13 years.
• 16 total XU players have been drafted since 2005.
• The defending BIG EAST Tournament champions, Xavier was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST in 2018 during an annual vote conducted by the league's head coaches.
• XU was picked to finish second in the league for the first time.
• The Musketeers were selected to finish fourth in each of their first three seasons in the league until being picked to win the BIG EAST ahead of the 2017 season.
• Chris Givin, Conor Grammes and Matt Kent were each selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
First place votes in ( )
1. St. John's – 35 points (5)
2. Xavier – 30 pts. (2)
3. Creighton – 24 pts.
4. Seton Hall – 23 pts.
5. Butler – 18 pts.
6. Georgetown – 11 pts.
7. Villanova – 6 pts.
• Xavier will play a 57-game schedule in 2018, including 15 home dates and the three home series at Hayden Field. XU will travel to nine different states as part of its road schedule.
• 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.
• 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.
• It will be the first time Xavier has served as host of the league tournament. Prasco Park is about 20 miles north of Cincinnati and a 30-minute drive from Xavier's campus.
XU kicks off the weekend on Friday at 5 p.m., facing Wofford, and continues the weekend with a 12 p.m. game against Presbyterian on Saturday and a 1 p.m. game against USC Upstate at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Musketeers (1-3) began their season falling in a three-game sweep at the hands of No. 5 Florida State in Tallahassee, but knocked off No. 8 Kentucky on Tuesday to deliver head coach Billy O'Conner his first career win in dramatic fashion.
Xavier is coming off its second straight BIG EAST Championship, beginning a new era with first year head coach Billy O'Conner after finishing the 2017 season with a 34-27 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament Louisville Regional Final. XU has made two straight appearances in a regional title game.
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PITCHING MATCHUPS |
| Game | Xavier | Opponent |
| 1 | Nick Zwack, LHP | Adam Scott, LHP |
| 2 | Damien Richard, RHP | Connor Jahn, LHP |
| 3 | TBA | TBA |
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SERIES HISTORY |
• Wofford leads the all-time series against Xavier, 2-1.
• Xavier leads the all-time series against Presbyterian, 1-0.
• Xavier leads the all-time series against USC Upstate, 4-0.
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OPPONENT NOTABLES |
• Wofford is off to a 1-3 start this season with its lone win coming against Dayton. The Terriers lost to No. 8 Kentucky, 6-1, in their 2018 opener.
• 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.
• Presbyterian is off to a 2-4 start with both wins coming in a season-opening series against La Salle. PC lost twice last week at No. 10 Vanderbilt by a combined 22-3 score.
• 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.
• USC Upstate is off to a 2-2-1 start, beating Dayton and Winthrop and tying against Fordham in its first five games.
• 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.
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PROJECTED LINEUP |
| Name | Class | Position | Hometown (HS) | Notes |
| Chris Givin | JR | SS | Castle Rock, Colo. | 2018 Preseason All-BIG EAST selection... missed the last three games with a minor injury, but should be fully cleared for the weekend... played and started in 43 games last season... All-BIG EAST Second Team selection at shortstop... 2017 preseason All-BIG EAST selection... third on team with a .302 batting average batting primarily in the leadoff spot... made return to lineup on March 29 at Miami (OH) after missing 17 games due to a hand injury... recorded a team-best 15 game hitting streak, hitting .400 (24-for-60) with 16 runs scored down the stretch... nearly walked more than he struck out on the season (25-to-26), helping him record a .395 on-base percentage... was third on team with a .345 (20-for-58) batting average in BIG EAST play... |
| Conor Grammes | SO | 3B | McLean, Va. (McLean) | 2018 Preseason All-BIG EAST selection... went 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored on Tuesday at No. 8 Kentucky... hit .417 (5-for-12) with a homer and a pair of multi-hit games at No. 5 FSU to start the season... among the best freshmen in the BIG EAST a year ago... named BIG EAST Championships Most Outstanding Player after hitting .600 (9-for-15) with five runs, a homer and five RBI in three games... led team with 26 multi-hit games... ranked sixth in the league and led XU with a .341 batting average... fourth in the BIG EAST with 79 hits and 14 doubles... third in the league with 116 total bases... ranked eighth in the nation with eight sacrifice flies... reached base in 18 straight games and had a seven game hitting streak to close the season... |
| Joe Gellenbeck | GR | RF | Lebanon, Ohio (St. Xavier) | One of the top sluggers in the BIG EAST... had a huge game on Tuesday at No. 8 Kentucky, going 3-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored, including the go-ahead run in the 10th... back for a fifth season after redshirting in 2014... 2017 Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year... ranked third in the BIG EAST with 11 homers... led BIG EAST with 56 RBI... led team with 17 multi-RBI games... was a sneaky threat on the bases, going 12-for-12 in steals... hit .308 (4-for-13) with a homer and four RBI in the BIG EAST Championships... enters season with 24 career home runs... |
| Blaine Griffiths | SR | DH | Lebanon, Ohio (Lakota West) | Named to 2017 All-BIG EAST Second Team after hitting .379 (11-for-29) with a homer and eight RBI in league play... Three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team honoree... |
| Allbry Major | FR | CF | Indianapolis, Ind. (North Central) | 6-foot-5 switch hitter known for his athleticism... Baseball America selected Major as its preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year... went 1-for-3 with two RBI in the win over No. 8 Kentucky on Tuesday... has also been a weapon out of the bullpen, striking out four in 3.2 innings of work... had a standout summer with Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, hitting .336 with two homers and 21 RBI... also posted a 3.34 ERA in 32.1 innings and struck out 44... named No. 15 MLB Draft prospect in the league following the season... posted top OF velo at the Perfect Game Fall Showcase in 2016... father, Kendrick, ran track at Indiana State... |
| Sam Flamini | JR | 2B | Yorkville, Ill. (Yorkville) | Two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team honoree... played in 34 games and made 16 starts in 2017, hitting .244 (19-for-78) with a homer, five RBI and 12 runs scored... |
| Matt Warkentin | JR | 1B | Leamington, Ontario (Leamington District Secondary) | 6-foot-6 athletic first baseman from Canada... transferred to XU this spring from Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas... hit .351 with 12 homers and 55 RBI for JCC last season... began collegiate career at San Francisco... |
| Nate Soria | SR | C | Homer Glen, Ill. (St. Rita of Cascia) | Appeared in 60 games with 57 starts... tied for third on team with seven homers... fifth on team with 30 RBI... tied for team lead with 10 HBP... preseason All-BIG EAST selection... named to 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List... fourth straight year XU has had a catcher on the list... threw out 44% of attempted base stealers (11-for-25)... has reached base in 108 of 139 games going back to 2015... finished season on a six-game hitting streak... went 6-for-15 (.400) with six RBI in the NCAA Tournament... |
| Mitch Gallagher | SR | LF | Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy) | Played in 54 games, making 51 starts at shortstop and second base in 2017... hit .263 (50-for-190) with four homers and 32 RBI... fourth on team with 37 runs scored... third on team with 12 doubles... improved in league play, hitting .333 (15-for-45) with 10 runs scored, three homers and 13 RBI in 12 games... went 1-for-3 with a two-run double in XU's 7-6 win over Creighton to clinch a spot in the BIG EAST Championships title game (5/26)... |
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WEEKEND ROTATION |
| Nick Zwack | FR | LHP | Monticello, Mich. (Monticello) | True freshman... projectable frame at 6-foot-3... lasted 3.1 innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out two at No. 5 FSU in first career start... recorded a 1.62 ERA in 52 innings, striking out 78 as a junior... was the starting quarterback for Monticello HS and earned Academic All-State in three sports (baseball, football and hockey)... |
| Damien Richard | SR | RHP | Versailles, Ohio (Versailles) | Missed 2017 season recovering from Tommy John surgery... lasted three innings, allowing five earned runs and striking out two in first start of season at No. 5 FSU... made 16 appearances and five starts in 2016... took two turns in the weekend rotation... started first career game at Wright State (3/8)... had a 2.45 ERA in BIG EAST action (3 APP, 7.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 K)... |
| TBA |
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THE KING RETURNS |
• 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. XU swept the regular season and tournament titles in 2016 and also won the tournament in 2014, its first year in the league.
• 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.
• Since joining the league in 2014, Xavier has won three of the four BIG EAST Championships (2014, 2016, 2017) and ranks third all-time in league championships with Seton Hall, Rutgers and Connecticut. XU and Seton Hall are tied for the most BIG EAST titles amongst current league members.
• With back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017, Xavier became the first team since Louisville in 2008 and 2009 to repeat as tournament champions.
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BILLY BALL |
• After a decorated playing career and four years as an assistant on the Xavier baseball staff, Billy O'Conner was named the program's seventh head coach in June following Scott Googins' departure after 12 seasons.
• Googins coached O'Conner as a player and was the program's all-time winningest coach at 341-357 (.489) and won four conference titles before accepting a position at Cincinnati in June.
• During his time on the staff, XU has posted three 30-win seasons, made three appearances in the NCAA Tournament and had eight players selected in the MLB First Year Player Draft. That number includes back-to-back years with multiple picks and a program record four selections in the 2017 draft.
• Prior to his time as an assistant at XU, O'Conner spent one year as an assistant at Northern Kentucky and two years in the volunteer assistant role at Xavier.
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2017 TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
• Xavier's 34 wins were second-most in school history and its .557 winning percentage was seventh-best in program history.
• XU swept its way to the BIG EAST title for a second straight year, improving to 9-1 all-time in the conference tournament.
• XU advanced to an NCAA Tournament Regional Final for the second straight year with a 2-2 record, defeating Oklahoma and Radford in the national tournament. Prior to 2016, the program had never won multiple games in an NCAA Tournament.
• Xavier went 10-6 in BIG EAST play to clinch third in the league and qualified for the BIG EAST Championships for the third time in four seasons as a member school.
• Xavier had back-to-back 30+ win seasons for just the second time in school history.
• Xavier set school records for team fielding percentage (.977) and strikeouts (461).
• XU hit the third most homers in a single season in program history as 14 different players left the yard.
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YOUNG GUNS |
• Due to graduation and the MLB Draft, Xavier lost seven pitchers, 60 starts and 373.1 innings of production from a year ago. That is roughly 70 percent of last year's innings pitched.
• Closer Trey Schramm is the lone returner to have started a game last season.
• Xavier will begin the year with two true freshmen in the rotation in lefties Trevor Olson and Nick Zwack.
• Senior Damien Richard will serve as the Sunday starter after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
• The opening weekend rotation came into the season with just five starts and 52.2 innings of career experience, all belonging to Damien Richard.
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DRAFTING MUSKETEERS |
• Zac Lowther was the highest-ever selection by a Xavier baseball player this past June, going in the second round compensatory selections. XU's previous high pick was Seth Willoughby, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2012 by the Colorado Rockies.
• Xavier had a program record four players selected in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Additionally, two committed players were taken in the draft for the first time in program history.
• Xavier's four draft picks were: Zac Lowther (Comp. Round B, 74th pick, Baltimore Orioles), Rylan Bannon (8th Round, 250th pick, LA Dodgers), Garrett Schilling (18th Round, 536th pick, Colorado Rockies), Greg Jacknewitz (22nd Round, 666th pick, San Francisco Giants)
• XU has now had multiple picks in each of the last two seasons. In 2016, Dan Rizzie went to the New York Mets in the 13th round and Andre Jernigan followed as a 14th round selection of the Minnesota Twins.
• Xavier has had at least one player drafted in 11 of the last 13 years.
• 16 total XU players have been drafted since 2005.
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PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS |
• The defending BIG EAST Tournament champions, Xavier was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST in 2018 during an annual vote conducted by the league's head coaches.
• XU was picked to finish second in the league for the first time.
• The Musketeers were selected to finish fourth in each of their first three seasons in the league until being picked to win the BIG EAST ahead of the 2017 season.
• Chris Givin, Conor Grammes and Matt Kent were each selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
First place votes in ( )
1. St. John's – 35 points (5)
2. Xavier – 30 pts. (2)
3. Creighton – 24 pts.
4. Seton Hall – 23 pts.
5. Butler – 18 pts.
6. Georgetown – 11 pts.
7. Villanova – 6 pts.
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LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE |
• Xavier will play a 57-game schedule in 2018, including 15 home dates and the three home series at Hayden Field. XU will travel to nine different states as part of its road schedule.
• 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.
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XU TO HOST LEAGUE TOURNEY |
• 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.
• It will be the first time Xavier has served as host of the league tournament. Prasco Park is about 20 miles north of Cincinnati and a 30-minute drive from Xavier's campus.
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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