Baseball Hosts Seton Hall for Final BIG EAST Home Series

Friday, May 3

Miami (OH) - Oxford, Ohio

6 PM

Xavier University

Seton Hall

Tickets

Baseball Hosts Seton Hall for Final BIG EAST Home Series

05.02.19 | Baseball

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By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier baseball closes out the home portion of the BIG EAST schedule this weekend, hosting Seton Hall for a three-game series, beginning Friday, May 3 at 3:00 p.m. Saturday's game is set to begin at 1:00 p.m and Sunday's game is scheduled for noon. Xavier will celebrate Senior Day prior to Sunday's game.

Xavier stands at 20-25 overall and 9-2 in BIG EAST play, standing in first place in the conference with two BIG EAST series remaining. The Musketeers secured their fourth series win in four tries last weekend, taking two of three from second-place Creighton. Following the Seton Hall series, Xavier closes out the BIG EAST regular season the following weekend at Villanova, running from May 10-12.

BIG EAST STANDINGS

SCHOOL	CONF	CPCT.	OVERALL	PCT.	STREAK
Xavier	9-2	0.818	20-25	0.444	W1
Creighton	6-3	0.667	26-10	0.722	W1
Georgetown	5-4	0.556	17-27	0.386	W4
Seton Hall	4-5	0.444	20-22	0.476	W3
St. John's	5-7	0.417	24-18	0.571	L1
Villanova	3-6	0.333	11-30	0.268	L1
Butler	3-8	0.273	21-20	0.512	L1

OPPONENT NOTABLES

Seton Hall enters the game at 20-22 overall and 4-5 in BIG EAST play, standing in fourth place in the league standings. The Pirates took two of three against Villanova and Butler, but were swept by Creighton in their three BIG EAST series so far.
Tyler Shelder-McAvoy leads the Pirates with a .306 average at the plate, collecting 49 hits and 26 RBIs in 42 appearances.
SHU went 30-20-1 overall last season, and 13-4 in BIG EAST play, advancing to the Championship game of the BIG EAST Tournament.
The Pirates finished runner-up to St. John's in the BIG EAST Championships, claiming second in the tournament for the fifth time. SHU forced a winner-take-all game seven with a 19-2 win in game six, but was shut out in the clincher.
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Ricky DeVito returns for the Pirates, but seven standouts from last year's team have advanced to the professional ranks: Billy Layne, Jr. (Rangers, 11th Round), Andrew Politi (Red Sox, 15th Round), Shane McCarthy (Indians, 18th Round), Ryan Ramiz (Mariners, 23rd Round), Cullen Dana (Padres, 30th Round). Matt Leon (Los Angeles Angels) and Mike Alescio (Milwaukee Brewers) were both signed as free agents.
Seton Hall leads the all-time series 9-7. The Pirates took two-of-three from Xavier last season at Owen T. Carroll Field.

PITCHING MATCHUPS

Game	Xavier	Seton Hall
Fri	Damien Richard, RHP	Ricky DeVito, RHP
Sat	Conor Grammes, RHP	Noah Thompson, RHP
Sun	TBD	David Festa, RHP

PROJECTED LINEUP

1. Conor Grammes, DH .314 BA, 55 H, 6 HR
2. Jake Shepski, RF .293 BA, 49 H, 31 RBI
3. Allbry Major, LF .289 BA, 11 2B, 25 RBI
4. Matt Warkentin, 1B .282 BA, 48 H, 7 HR
5. Chris Givin, SS .286 BA, 54 H, 4 3B
6. Jack Housinger, 2B .270 BA, 37 H, 10 2B
7. Luke Franzoni, CF .255 BA, 25 H, 7 HR
8. Natale Monastra, C .232 BA, 32 H, 17 RBI
9. Kody Darcy, 3B .197 BA, 15 H, 15 R

LINEUP NOTES

Conor Grammes leads the team at the plate with a team-best .314 batting average, with a team-high 39 runs scored on 55 hits, a team high. Grammes has 29 walks, matching Jake Shepski for team high, with 14 of those walks coming in BIG EAST action.
Jake Shepski enters the game with a .293 batting average and an on-base percentage of .396 with 49 hits and a team-high matching 29 walks on the season. Shepski is second on the team with 31 RBIs.
Allbry Major enters the game with a .289 batting average and a team-best .520 slugging percentage, with six home runs, and team-high 11 doubles to go with three triples in 44 hits.
Chris Givin enters the series with a .286 batting average and has 54 hits this season, including four triples which ranks fourth in the BIG EAST.
Matt Warkentin is batting .282 on the season with 27 runs scored on 46 hits. After hitting a grand slam against NKU, Warkentin has a team-high 32 RBIs on the season, including 12 in conference action. His slugging percentage stands at .464 with 75 total bases, with six doubles and a team-high tying seven home runs to his credit.
Luke Franzoni enters the game batting .255 with a .500 slugging percentage, with a .675 slugging percentage in BIG EAST play. Franzoni hit his team-high tying seventh home run of the season against Miami last week and has Franzoni has 25 total hits, 10 for extra bases, and 25 RBIs.
Xavier leads the conference in total hits at 418, and has the second best batting average at .265.

X CAN PICK IT

Xavier has the nation's best fielding percentage at .983 as the Musketeers have committed just 28 errors in 45 games.
The Musketeers have a league-best 34 double plays on the season.
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.

ROAD WARRIORS

Xavier played 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. Xavier closes out the BIG EAST schedule at Villanova, the traveling to Purdue before playing a three game series with UC in Cincinnati.
The Musketeers' are 11-23 in non-conference play, with a strength of schedule rated No. 3 in the nation by D1Baseball.com.

BOMBS AWAY

After Matt Warketin's grand slam against NKU, the Musketeers now have 42 longballs for the 2019 season, the second most in the BIG EAST.
Ryan Fouriner's home run against NKU brought the season total to 11 Musketeers who have hit a home run. Luke Franzoni and Matt Warkentin each have a team-high seven while Conor Grammes and Allbry Major each have six on the season.
Xavier baseball has become one of 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.

RECORD WATCH

Junior Conor Grammes entered the season for 11th all-time in career batting average at XU with a .331 mark. Grammes stands at .330 currently with a season batting average of .314.
Senior Chris Givin's 13 career triples rank fourth in program history, pulling to within two of third place in the record books with his fourth of the season at Creighton. 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 also entered the program's all-time top 10 in both hits and doubles at Cincinnati. His 229 hits rank seventh all-time at Xavier, just four hits away from the No. 6 spot, and his 42 doubles rank fifth in program history.
Senior Matt Kent's career ERA of 3.44 entering the season ranks 11th in program history. The righty has 69 career appearances after appearing against Miami, just one appearance from entering the program's top 10.

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.

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
Ryan Altenberger	BIG EAST Player of the Week (3/11)	Link
Chris Givin	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (3/18)	Link
Conor Grammes	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (3/25)	Link
Jake Shepski	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (4/1)	Link
Allbry Major	BIG EAST Player of the Week (4/8)	Link
Conor Grammes	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (4/15)	Link
Luke Franzoni	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (4/22)	Link
Jake Shepski	BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (4/29)	Link

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.