Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Arizona State
Baseball Begins West Coast Road Swing with Three Games at Arizona State
03.06.19 | Baseball
TEMPE, Ariz. – Coming off a 4-0 week that included a sweep of Lipscomb and a road win at No. 8 Louisville, Xavier baseball returns to action for a three-game series this weekend against No. 23 Arizona State at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
First pitch of the series is set for Friday night at 8:30 p.m. ET with game two coming at the same time on Saturday. The series will wrap up at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
XU stands at 5-5 overall on the young season with three of its losses coming against No. 7 North Carolina to open the season. Since that series, XU has picked up wins against Samford and No. 8 Louisville to go with a three-game sweep of Lipscomb.
Four of Xavier's 10 games so far have been against top-10 ranked opponents and the Musketeers are receiving votes in the NCBWA poll heading into the week.
Arizona State is off to as hot of a start as any team in the country with a 12-0 record, which includes series sweeps against Notre Dame, UC Davis and Michigan State. The Sun Devils are one of just four undefeated teams left in the nation.
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ABOUT XAVIER |
The Musketeers return 20 letter-winners and six starters from last season's team, which went 7-11 in the BIG EAST Conference and failed to reach the postseason for just the second time in five years. Xavier returns a number of standouts, including sophomore pitcher/outfielder Allbry Major, who took home All-BIG EAST Second Team, Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America and BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors.
The Musketeers also return top hitters Conor Grammes (.330, 10 HR, 27 RBI) and Chris Givin (.342, 4 HR, 45 RBI) in addition to the power bat of Matt Warkentin, who hit 14 homers in his first season with the program last year. Incoming freshman Kody Darcy should slot into the everyday lineup at third base and could be an impact freshman, already earning Preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors from D1Baseball.com and Baseball America.
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PITCHING MATCHUPS |
| Game | Xavier | Opponent |
| 1 | Nick Zwack, LHP | Boyd Vander Kooi, RHP |
| 2 | Griffin Lanoue, RHP | Alec Marsh, RHP |
| 3 | Conor Grammes, RHP | R.J. Dabovich, RHP |
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SERIES HISTORY |
• Arizona State leads the all-time series 4-0, all coming in a series sweep to begin the 2016 season in Tempe, Ariz.
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OPPONENT NOTABLES |
• The Sun Devils return one of the nation's biggest breakout performers in Spencer Torkelson, who led the nation with 25 regular season home runs and was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in addition to making multiple appearances on all-america teams. He shattered Barry Bonds' ASU record of 11 homers by a freshman and tied for second-most homers in a season by an ASU player.
• ASU leads all NCAA schools with 437 total MLB draft picks in its history, including five 2018 selections. At least one Sun Devil has been drafted every year since the draft's inception in 1965. The first-ever MLB draft pick was former Sun Devil Rick Monday.
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PROJECTED LINEUP |
| 1. | Chris Givin, SS | .233 BA, 10 H, 3 RBI |
| 2. | Jake Shepski, RF | .366 BA, 1 HR, 8 RBI |
| 3. | Conor Grammes, DH | .318 BA, 2 HR, 4 RBI |
| 4. | Matt Warkentin, 1B | .297 BA, 3 HR, 7 RBI |
| 5. | Allbry Major, LF | .286 BA, 3 3B, 7 RBI |
| 6. | Natale Monastra, C | .263 BA, 2 HR, 8 RBI |
| 7. | Ryan Altenberger, 2B | .344 BA, 10 R, 6 SB |
| 8. | Jack Housinger, 3B | .348 BA, 8 H, 5 RBI |
| 9. | Andrew Sexton, CF | .217 BA, 3 BB, 2 R |
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PROJECTED ROTATION |
| Friday | Nick Zwack | 4.20 ERA, 15 IP, 15 K |
| Saturday | Griffin Lanoue | 3.38 ERA, 5.1 IP, 2 K |
| Sunday | Conor Grammes | 10.13 ERA, 13.1 IP, 13K |
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ROTATION NOTES |
• Nick Zwack is a lefty with swing-and-miss stuff who took some lumps early, but progressed well through his freshman season in 2018. He finished his season on a high note, notching wins against Penn State and Villanova in his final two starts. In those outings, he tossed 13 innings and allowed just two earned runs, while striking out 13. Zwack went six innings in five of his 10 starts in 2018.
• Conor Grammes began the season as XU's Friday night starter, inhabiting the role for the first time. Relatively new to pitching, Grammes features a high 90's fastball that has reached triple digits and developing secondary pitches.
• If he is able to harness all his offerings this spring, Grammes could take a big jump forward as a junior. He struck out 45 in 28 innings last season and was one of the hardest throwers in the Cape Cod League over the summer.
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LINEUP NOTES |
• Grad transfer Jake Shepski leads XU with a 10-game hitting streak to start the season. Allbry Major ranks second with a five-game hitting streak.
• Shepski and senior Chris Givin are tied with 10-game streaks reaching base.
• Xavier has scored at least three runs in every game this season and hasn't been shut out since March 10, 2018 at San Francisco (49 straight games).
• Xavier has drawn at least two walks in every game this season and has worked a free pass in 51 straight games going back to March 9, 2018 at San Francisco.
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LAST TIME OUT |
• Xavier completed a three-game sweep of Lipscomb with a 4-2 win in Nashville, Tenn.
• Conor Grammes pitched six shutout innings in his best start yet, holding the Bison to two hits and striking out five.
• Lane Flamm earned his first save, logging the final 2.1 innings and striking out three.
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RECORD WATCH |
• Junior Conor Grammes currently ranks No. 10 all-time in career batting average with a .334 mark.
• Senior Chris Givin's nine career triples rank fifth in program history. He tied the XU single season mark with six in 2018 and could make a run at all-time leader Dan Froehle's mark of 18.
• Givin should also enter the program's all-time top 10 in both hits and doubles this season with numbers similar to his past seasons. His 185 hits trail the No. 10 spot in program history by 33 and his 34 doubles are just six outside the program's top 10.
• Senior Matt Kent's career ERA of 3.43 ranks 11th in program history. The righty is 13 appearances from entering the program's top 10.
• Senior Trey Schramm's six career saves rank tied for 10th in program history entering the season.
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DOING WARK |
• Senior slugger Matt Warkentin has been a big reason for XU's 5-2 surge over the last seven games. The big bopper went 7-for-12 (.583) with seven runs scored and three homers in the Samford series and followed it up with a 1-for-3 game at No. 8 Louisvile.
• Over his last seven games, Warkentin is 11-for-27 with 10 runs scored, three homers and seven RBI. The first baseman has also drawn six walks to post a .543 on-base percentage.
• The 6-foot-6 senior from Leamington, Ontario was one of the top power bats in the country last year, leading the BIG EAST with 14 homers in his first season with the program.
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ROAD WARRIORS |
• Xavier plays its first 20 games on the road this spring before returning to Cincinnati to open the home schedule on March 22 against Evansville.
• XU will play a total of 39 games on the road.
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X CAN PICK IT |
• Xavier has been a reliable defensive unit so far, posting a .989 fielding percentage with four errors in 10 games.
• Since committing three errors in the first two games of the season, the Musketeers have committed just one in their last eight games. XU currently has a six-game streak without an error.
• As of March 6, Xavier ranks No. 5 nationally with a .989 fielding percentage and ranks No. 12 nationally with 12 double plays turned.
• Xavier posted a .973 fielding percentage in 2018, ranking fourth in program history.
• Xavier has set three of the top four program marks in fielding percentage in the last three seasons, including a program record mark of .977 in 2017.
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BOMBS AWAY |
• After going without a home run in their season-opening series at No. 7 UNC, the Musketeers exploded for seven in their series at Samford. That included a five homer game in the Friday opener.
• The Musketeers now have 10 longballs for the 2019 season, averaging one per game and ranking 54th nationally.
• Xavier baseball has become one the most prolific power-hitting teams in the country in recent years, breaking the XU program record with 68 bombs in 2018.
• The previous program record was 64 hit by the 1997 Musketeers. Xavier has now hit 129 homers in the last two seasons, the most in successive seasons in the history of the program.
• Last year's total of 68 led the BIG EAST by 21 and ranked 21st in the NCAA.
• Matt Warkentin led the team and the BIG EAST with 14 homers as 13 different batters provided a longball for XU.
• Xavier returns eight players who contributed a homer in 2018, totaling 42 longballs. That number would have ranked second in the league.
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2019 AWARDS |
Conference/National Awards
| Conor Grammes | BIG EAST Co-Preseason Player of the Year | Link |
| Conor Grammes | Preseason All-BIG EAST | Link |
| Chris Givin | Preseason All-BIG EAST | Link |
| Allbry Major | Preseason All-BIG EAST | Link |
Weekly Awards
| Jake Shepski | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (2/18) | Link |
| Nick Zwack | BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week (2/25) | Link |
| Matt Warkentin | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (2/25) | Link |
| Lane Flamm | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (3/4) | Link |
| Conor Grammes | BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (3/4) | Link |
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BIG (EAST) SUCCESS |
• The Musketeers had a down season in 2018, but have won three BIG EAST Championships in the last five seasons overall.
• XU won its last title in 2017, sweeping their way to a BIG EAST Championship in Omaha, Neb. XU swept the regular season and tournament titles in 2016 and also won the tournament in 2014, its first year in the league.
• Since joining the league in 2014, Xavier has won three of five BIG EAST Championships (2014, 2016, 2017) and ranks third all-time in league championships with Seton Hall, Rutgers and Connecticut. XU and Seton Hall are tied for the most BIG EAST titles amongst current league members.
• With back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017, Xavier became the first team since Louisville in 2008 and 2009 to repeat as tournament champions.
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BILLY BALL |
• After a decorated playing career and four years as an assistant on the Xavier baseball staff, Billy O'Conner enters his second season at the helm of the program in 2019.
• During his time on the staff, XU has posted three 30-win seasons, made three appearances in the NCAA Tournament and had nine players selected in the MLB First Year Player Draft. That number includes three straight years with at least one selection and a program record four selections in the 2017 draft.
• Billy O'Conner's first career win came at No. 8 Kentucky on Feb. 20, 2018 and he picked up a second top-10 victory on Feb. 26 of this season as XU took down No. 8 Louisville, 5-4, on the road.
• Prior to his time as an assistant at XU, O'Conner spent one year as an assistant at Northern Kentucky and two years in the volunteer assistant role at Xavier.
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ARMS APLENTY |
• Xavier went through attrition and injuries with its pitching staff last season, beginning 2018 with the loss of seven seniors and 373.1 innings of total production (70% of total innings). Last season's weekend rotation featured two true freshmen and just 52.2 innings of career experience, all belonging to Damien Richard.
• This spring will be a different story as the Musketeers bring back 91 percent of their total innings from 2018. XU lost just four pitchers who logged a total of 42 innings last season.
• Fifth year righty Damien Richard is now two seasons removed from Tommy John surgery, while Taylor Williams and David Williams return from the same surgery this season.
• Xavier lost time to injury from five pitchers a year ago, including Trey Schramm, Taylor Williams, David Williams, Henry Miller and Roger Danison.
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DRAFTING MUSKETEERS |
• Xavier has had a number of players go on to play professionally in recent years, including at least one MLB Draft selection in each of the last three years.
• Lefty pitcher Zac Lowther was the highest-ever selection by a Xavier baseball player, going in the second round compensatory selections of the 2017 MLB Draft at 74th overall. XU's previous high pick was Seth Willoughby, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2012 by the Colorado Rockies.
• Xavier had a program record four players selected in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Additionally, two committed players were taken in the draft for the first time in program history.
• Xavier's four draft picks were: Zac Lowther (Comp. Round B, 74th pick, Baltimore Orioles), Rylan Bannon (8th Round, 250th pick, LA Dodgers), Garrett Schilling (18th Round, 536th pick, Colorado Rockies), Greg Jacknewitz (22nd Round, 666th pick, San Francisco Giants)
• Xavier has had at least one player drafted in 12 of the last 14 years.
• 17 total XU players have been drafted since 2005.
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PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS |
• As a team, Xavier was picked to finish fourth in the league with 25 points in the annual BIG EAST coaches poll. XU was just behind Creighton and Seton Hall, who tied for second in the poll with 25 points. Defending league champion St. John's was picked to repeat in 2019 with 36 points.
• Conor Grammes was named the BIG EAST Co-Preseason Player of the Year, marking the second time an XU player has received the honor (Joe Gellenbeck, 2017).
• Chris Givin, Conor Grammes and Allbry Major were each selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
• XU was picked to finish fourth in the league for the fourth time.
• Xavier was picked second in last season's poll and was picked to win the league ahead of the 2017 season.
First place votes in ( )
1. St. John's (6) – 36 points
T2. Creighton (1) – 25 pts.
T2. Seton Hall – 25 pts.
4. Xavier – 24 pts.
5. Butler – 17 pts.
6. Georgetown – 13 pts.
7. Villanova – 7 pts.
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LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE |
• Xavier announced a 56-game schedule in October, featuring 16 home contests, four home series and road trips to 11 different states.
• The 2018 schedule features eight NCAA Tournament participants, including two College World Series participants in North Carolina and Texas.
• 16 of Xavier's 23 opponents posted a .500 or better record a year ago.
• Overall, the Musketeers will face a challenging schedule that features opponents that combined for a 720-579-1 (.554) record in 2018.
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XU TO HOST LEAGUE TOURNEY |
• Xavier will co-host the 2019 BIG EAST Championships at Prasco Park for the second straight season. The tournament will last from May 23-26.
• There will be no charge for admission or concessions for BIG EAST Championship fans in attendance.
• The finale of the 2019 BIG EAST Championship will air on FS2. All other games will be available to stream on the BIG EAST Digital Network, a dedicated channel on the FOX Sports GO app. FOX Sports is the BIG EAST Conference's broadcast partner.
• Prasco Park is only the second ballpark to host the BIG EAST Baseball Championship not on the East Coast. TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, home of the 2014 and 2016 championships, is the other.
