Baseball Rallies Late for 7-3 Win in Series Opener at Grand Canyon

Wednesday, March 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

9:30 PM

Xavier University

6-8

Grand Canyon

6-10

Xavier

Grand Canyon

Baseball Rallies Late for 7-3 Win in Series Opener at Grand Canyon

03.14.19 | Baseball

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

By: Brendan Bergen, Xavier Athletic Communications

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Down 3-0 heading into the ninth, Jack Housinger delivered two big doubles as Xavier baseball rallied to tie the game and force extra innings before going on to an eventual 7-3 win over Grand Canyon on Wednesday night at GCU Ballpark.

XU bounced back from three straight losses to improve to 6-8 on the young season. GCU dropped to 6-10 with the loss.

Xavier continues the series against GCU on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

XU AT THE PLATE

• After being shut out through eight innings, Xavier's offense put up seven runs on five hits in the final two frames. XU left nine aboard in the ballgame.
• Jack Housinger had a big blow in the ninth, doubling in two runs as part of a 3-for-4 day at the plate. The freshman doubled twice and knocked in three runs for XU.
• Sophomore Allbry Major stayed hot at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
• Conor Grammes moved into the leadoff spot in the order and responded with a 2-for-6 night.
• Chris Givin batted second for the first time this season and went 2-for-5 with a double.
• Andrew Sexton (1-for-1, BB) brought in a pair of runs with a 10th inning double to right.
• Ryan Altenberger saw a team-leading six game hitting streak come to a close, but still reached base three times via the walk and scored a run.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Grad transfer Marko Boricich started and went four innings, striking out four and allowing two earned runs.
• Damien Richard came on in relief and was dominant over the next three innings, striking out eight and allowing just two hits.
• Trey Schramm (1-1) picked up the win, tossing two innings with one earned run allowed and two strikeouts.
• Taylor Williams closed it out in dominant fashion, striking out the side in the 10th.

HOW THEY SCORED

NINTH INNING | Jake Shepski led off with a walk before Allbry Major singled to right and advanced on a throw to third, which put two on with one out for Jack Housinger. The freshman delivered with a two-run double down the right field line, bringing XU within one run. Batting next, Natale Monastra reached on a fielder's choice as Housinger came around to score on an error to tie things up, 3-3.
TENTH INNING | Ryan Altenberger led things off with a walk and advanced to third on a hit by Allbry Major. Up next, Matt Warkentin reached on a fielder's choice to score Altenberger. Jack Housinger then gave XU another gigantic double, lining a shot to right to score Major and make it a 5-3 lead. With two outs, Andrew Sexton provided another two-run double to make it a 7-3 game.