Givin Launches Grand Slam as Xavier Baseball Falls to Visiting EKU

Wednesday, April 25

Hayden Field

3 p.m.

Xavier University

14-27

Eastern Kentucky

22-20

Eastern Kentucky

Xavier

Givin Launches Grand Slam as Xavier Baseball Falls to Visiting EKU

04.25.18 | Baseball

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

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletic Communications

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Chris Givin launched an eighth inning grand slam, but Xavier baseball lost 12-8 to visiting Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday at Hayden Field.

Xavier dropped to 14-27 with the loss, while EKU improved to 22-20 with the win.

In splitting two games this season, EKU and Xavier combined for 56 runs. The Colonels got a huge game from their DH, Alex Holderbach, who hit four homers and drove in eight runs.

UP NEXT

• Xavier is back home this weekend, resuming BIG EAST action against No. 23 St. John's at Hayden Field. The series begins with a 3 p.m. game on Friday, continuing with a 1 p.m. game on Saturday and wrapping up Sunday at Noon.

XU AT THE PLATE

• Junior Chris Givin remained scorching hot at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and a grand slam in the eighth inning. He has now reached base safely in 18 straight games. It was his 12th multi-hit game of the year.
• Ryan Fournier had a career-high three hit day, knocking in a run as part of a 3-for-5 performance.
• Mitch Gallagher was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
• Joe Gellenbeck (1-for-5, R), Conor Grammes (1-for-5), Blaine Griffiths (1-for-2, R), Sam Flamini (1-for-2) and Matt Warkentin (1-for-4, R, RBI) also contributed hits for XU.
• Grammes extended his personal hitting streak to a team-leading seven games.
• Xavier has at least one homer in nine of its last 11 games and at least a double in 12 straight games.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Freshman Trevor Olson (1-3) got the ball and gave XU four innings, allowing four earned runs and striking out one.
• Evan Miller and Christian Glass combined to allow five earned runs over the next two innings.
• Sean Douaire pitched a scoreless eighth, allowing one hit and striking out one.
• Junior Chris Givin made his second mound appearance of the season in the ninth, getting finishing out the game and allowing one run on a solo homer.

HOW XU SCORED

FIRST INNING | Chris Givin led off with a double to right center, going to third on a ground out and scoring on a wild pitch to get XU on the board.
FIFTH INNING | Mitch Gallagher reached on an infield hit, going to second on a throwing error by the shortstop and reaching third on a single by Chris Givin. Gallagher then came home to score on a wild pitch, making it 7-2.
EIGHTH INNING | Blaine Griffiths doubled to right to lead off the inning, going to third on an infield hit by Nate Soria. With two outs, Matt Warkentin singled to left to score Griffiths. Mitch Gallagher followed with a single to left to load the bases for Chris Givin, who popped a grand slam to left to make it 11-7.
NINTH INNING | Joe Gellenbeck singled to left and went to second on a one out single by Sam Flamini. With two outs, Ryan Fournier singled up the middle to score Gellenbeck and cap the scoring for XU.