Baseball Rallies for Seven in Seventh, Takes Weekend Opener at Lipscomb

Friday, March 1

Nashville, Tenn.

5 PM

Xavier University

3-5

Lipscomb

4-3

Xavier

Lipscomb

Baseball Rallies for Seven in Seventh, Takes Weekend Opener at Lipscomb

03.01.19 | Baseball

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

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletic Communications

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Xavier baseball rallied for a seven-run seventh inning to take game one of its weekend series against Lipscomb, 7-6, at Dugan Field.

XU improves to 3-5 overall and wins its second straight. The Bison dropped to 4-3 with the setback.

The Musketeers return to action to finish the series on Saturday, which will now feature a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

XU AT THE PLATE

• Natale Monastra put together a 2-for-4 effort, scoring a run and driving in another.
• Matt Warkentin was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored and a double. He is now riding a five-game hitting streak, which has seen him bat .526 (10-for-19) with three homers, seven RBI and eight runs scored. During the stretch, he has also walked four times to post a .640 on-base percentage.
• Allbry Major had a big triple in the seventh inning rally and finished 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.
• Ryan Altenberger (1-for-4, R) and Jake Shepski (1-for-3, RBI) also contributed hits for XU.
• Chris Givin walked with the bases loaded and eventually scored himself. The senior has reached base in all eight games this season.
• Shepski now leads Xavier with an eight-game hitting streak, while Conor Grammes saw his season-opening seven-game hitting streak snapped.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Sophomore Nick Zwack got the start on the mound and tossed 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts. The lefty allowed two runs in the first inning and was cruising into the sixth when a three-run homer ended his night.
• Nathan Berg came on to finish the sixth, getting a strikeout to end the frame in his second college appearance.
• Senior Trey Schramm entered in the seventh and gave XU two innings of one-run relief, striking out one.
• Senior Taylor Williams nailed down the game, striking out the side in the ninth for his first save of the season. It was his sixth career save and first since the 2017 season.

HOW XU SCORED

SEVENTH INNING | Matt Warkentin and Ryan Altenberger led off with back-to-back singles, advancing on a passed ball before Allbry Major tripled both runs in to get Xavier on the scoreboard. Natale Monastra batted next and laced a single to right center to bring home Major and make it 5-3. After a pitching change, Jack Housinger reached on a fielder's choice and went to second on a wild pitch before Andrew Sexton walked prompting another pitching change by Lipscomb. Chris Givin followed with a walk of his own to push a run across and Jake Shepski singled to right center to tie the game. Conor Grammes then lofted a sacrifice fly to center to give XU the lead, 7-5.