Joe Gellenbeck Goes 5-for-5 as XU Collects 22 Hits in 7-1 Win at USC Upstate in Weekend Finale

Saturday, February 24

Spartanburg, SC

7 p.m.

Xavier University

3-4

USC Upstate

3-4-1

Xavier

USC Upstate

Joe Gellenbeck Goes 5-for-5 as XU Collects 22 Hits in 7-1 Win at USC Upstate in Weekend Finale

02.24.18 | Baseball

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Musketeers bang out 22 hits, have now won three of last four

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletic Communications

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Joe Gellenbeck was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate as the Musketeers collected a season-high 22 hits in a 7-1 win over USC Upstate on Saturday at Harley Park.

The Musketeers (3-4) have now won three of four and finished with a winning weekend, sweeping Saturday's games after a win against Presbyterian earlier in the day.

NEXT UP

• Xavier plays again on Tuesday, heading to Louisville for a 3 p.m. first pitch at the site of XU's 2017 NCAA Tournament appearance.

XU AT THE PLATE

• Xavier collected a season-high seven runs, seven doubles and 22 hits in a dominant performance. Eight different players had multi-hit games.
• Joe Gellenbeck was a career-best 5-for-5 at the dish, doubling and tripling while scoring once and knocking in two runs. The effort pushed his batting average to .481 (13-for-27) through seven games.
• Gellenbeck had two triples on Saturday after coming into the day with three for his career.
• Will LaRue went 3-for-5 with a run scored, an RBI and a walk at the leadoff spot, finishing his first weekend back from an injury 5-for-12 (.417) with two runs scored, three walks and two steals.
• Ryan Altenberger went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI for his second multi-hit game of the season.
• Natale Monastra got the start behind the plate and went a career-best 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
• Chris Givin (2-for-5, R), Conor Grammes (2-for-5), Allbry Major (2-for-5, R) and Matt Warkentin (2-for-5, RBI) also had multi-hit games for XU.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Xavier relied on its young arms in the weekend finale, as four freshmen combined for eight innings and six strikeouts. The four rookies allowed just one unearned run on the day.
• Freshman Griffin Lanoue made the start and lasted 1.2 innings, allowing just one unearned run and striking out one despite allowing two walks and three hits.
• Freshman Evan Miller followed out of the 'pen, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out two.
• Freshman Allbry Major was spectacular after Miller, firing three shutout frames and striking out three while allowing just one hit.
• Freshman Trevor Olson tossed a 1-2-3 scoreless frame in the eighth.
• Sophomore Conor Grammes came on to finish the game out, striking out two in a scoreless ninth.

HOW XU SCORED

FIRST INNING: Will LaRue led off with a double to left field, moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Givin. With one out, Joe Gellenbeck singled to left field to score LaRue. Allbry Major and Ryan Altenberger followed with back-to-back doubles to bring two more runs across and make it a 3-0 Xavier lead after one.
FOURTH INNING: After USC Upstate got one back in the second, Natale Monastra doubled down the right field line with one out to get things going in the fourth. Will LaRue batted next and plated Monastra with a single to right, making it 4-1. Chris Givin and Conor Grammes then connected for back-to-back singles with two outs, leading to a pitching change. Batting next, Joe Gellenbeck singled to right to bring Givin home and give XU a 5-1 lead.
FIFTH INNING: Ryan Altenberger doubled down the right field line, advancing to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Natale Monastra doubled down the left field line to score Altenberger and make it a 6-1 game.
SEVENTH INNING: Ryan Altenberger led off the inning with a single to left, stealing second and going to third as Andrew Sexton reached on a fielding error by the USC Upstate first baseman. Matt Warkentin then singled through the left side to bring Altenberger home.