Baseball Comes From Behind To Top Evansville in Home Opener

Friday, March 22

Hayden Field

3 PM

Xavier University

7-13

Evansville

9-8

Evansville

Xavier

Baseball Comes From Behind To Top Evansville in Home Opener

03.22.19 | Baseball

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

Freshman Jack Housinger goes 4-of-4 at the plate

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier baseball erased a 7-0 deficit to open the home portion of the schedule with a win, topping Evansville, 11-8, on Friday afternoon. Freshman Jack Housinger went 4-of-4 at the plate, leading four Musketeers with multi-hit games.

Xavier fell behind, 7-0, going into the bottom of the fourth before four-run innings in the fourth and the fifth put the Musketeers ahead. Xavier added a pair in the seventh and scored an additional insurance run in the eighth after UE clipped the lead to two. Eight Musketeers got on base, with Xavier collecting 12 hits and six walks total.

Sam Czabala and Damien Richard each allowed only one run in three innings of relief and Lane Flamm picked up his second save of the season.

The Musketeers and the Purple Aces return to the field on Saturday at 2:00 p.m., moved back from the original time of 1:00 p.m. in the second of three.

XU AT THE PLATE

• Freshman Jack Housinger set a career-best mark of with four hits, going 4-of-4 with a walk. Housinger picked up an RBI and scored three runs.
• Freshman Luke Franzoni hit his first career home-run, finishing 2-of-4 at the plate with five RBIs, a season-best mark.
• Conor Grammes went 2-of-3 at the plate, with a walk, and collected a pair of hits.
• Andrew Sexton matched his season-best marks with two hits and two RBIs.
• Ryan Altenberger (1-of-5) and Natale Monastra (1-of-4) each collected a hit for the Musketeers.
• Jake Shepski took a pair of walks, collecting an RBI.
• Overall, Xavier collected 12 hits and six walks, with nine left on base.

XU ON THE MOUND

• Matt Kent got the start, going 2.0 innings, allowing six runs on five hits and one walk.
• Sam Czabala picked three innings, allowing just one run on three his with no walks. Czabala picked up the win, his first of the season.
• Damien Richard picked three innings, allowing two hits, with one run and a pair of strike-outs.
• Lane Flamm picked up the save, his first of the season, setting the Purple Aces down in order in the ninth.

HOW THEY SCORED

FOURTH INNING | With Conor Grammes and Jake Shepski aboard, Jack Housinger doubled down the left field line to bring Grammes in and push Shepski to third to cut the UE lead to 7-1. With one out, Ryan Fournier hit a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing Shepski in. After a wild pitch brought Housinger to third, Luke Franzoni hit a two run homer to set the score at 7-4.

FIFTH INNING | Grammes led off the inning with a single to left field. A walk by Shepski, followed by a single by Housinger loaded the bases with one out. Natale Monastra hit a sac fly to center field to bring Grammes home and put Shepski on third. Housinger moved into scoring position on a throw and Fournier walked to load the bases. Frazoni doubled to left field to clear the bases and give the Musketeers the 8-7 lead.

SEVENTH INNING | Housinger led off the inning with a single, followed by a Monastra single. A sacrifice bunt by Fournier advanced both runners. Andrew Sexton singled to bring both home, setting the score at 10-7 in favor of Xavier.

EIGHTH INNING | After UE scored in the bottom of the eighth, Ryan Altenberger led off the inning with a double to left center. After a UE error, Grammes and Altenberger were on the corners. A sac fly by Shepski brought Altenberger in from third to set what would be the final score at 11-8.

PHOTOS

Baseball vs. Evansville by Xavier Musketeers on Exposure