Baseball Opens BIG EAST Play With 7-4 Victory Over Hoyas

Friday, April 5

Hayden Field

3 PM

Xavier University

Georgetown

Baseball Opens BIG EAST Play With 7-4 Victory Over Hoyas

04.05.19 | Baseball

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

Luke Franzoni gave the Musketeers the advantage with a three-run homer in the second

By: Laura Topp, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier baseball opened the BIG EAST portion of its schedule on Friday afternoon, topping the Georgetown Hoyas, 7-4. The Musketeers improve to 10-19 overall.

The Hoyas jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first but a three-run blast from Luke Franzoni put the Musketeers up, 3-1, in the second. Georgetown cut Xavier's advantage to 3-2 with a lead-off homerun in the top of the third. Matt Warkentin boosted Xavier's lead back to two with an RBI single to center, scoring Conor Grammes. A two-run top of the fourth tied the game for the Hoyas at four.

Jake Shepski led off the fifth with a double down the right field line, giving the Musketeers another run with a Warkentin RBI single to left, 5-4. A lead-off single for Grammes and walk for Shepski gave Allbry Major baserunners when his base-clearing double, tallied two more runs for the Musketeers to extend the lead 7-4.

Xavier returns to the field tomorrow for games two and three with the Hoyas, with Saturday's game which originally scheduled for 1:00 PM, changed to a doubleheader due to Sunday's weather forecast.

Game one of the doubleheader is set to begin at noon, with game two beginning approximately 30-40 minutes following the conclusion of the first game. No game will be played on Sunday.

XU AT THE PLATE

Jake Shepski had a productive day at the plate, 3-4 including a double and added two runs for Xavier. Shepski also added a walk, bringing his team-high total to 23 for the season.
Allbry Major went 2-5 from the plate, including a double which earned him two RBIs.
Matt Warkentin had a productive day at the plate, going 3-4 with two RBIs.
Luke Franzoni went 2-4 on the day, including a go-ahead three run homer to give Xavier a lead they never lost.
Natale Monastra 1-3 from the plate, also earning a walk.
Jack Housinger earned a double, finishing the game hitting 1-3.
Conor Grammes added two runs for the Musketeers off a walk and a hit, finishing the game going 1-4.
Overall, Xavier connected 13 times at the plate and walked five times, on 33 at bats.

XU ON THE MOUND

Damien Richard made his second start of the season, delivering four complete innings. Richard earned four strikeouts but gave up four earned runs.
Sam Czabala entered the game in the fifth, pitching four scoreless innings and earned a season-high four strikeouts to pick up his second win of the season.
Trevor Olson closed the game for the Musketeers and secured the save.

HOW THEY SCORED

SECOND INNING | After Jack Housinger reached on a walk, he advanced to third, with Ryan Altenberger on first after a fielder's choice. Luke Franzoni then connected for a three-run homerun to put Xavier up 3-1.
THIRD INNING | Matt Warkentin boosted Xavier's lead back to two with an RBI single to center, scoring Conor Grammes to bring the lead to 4-2.
FIFTH INNING | Another Warkentin RBI single scored Shepski, who walked to get aboard, giving Xavier a 5-4 advantage over Georgetown.
SIXTH INNING | Allbry Major connected on an RBI double, scoring Grammes and Shepksi to give Xavier their biggest lead of the game and securing the victory, 7-4.

XU AT THE PLATE