Xavier's BIG EAST Tournament Runs Ends Against No. 1 Creighton

Saturday, May 25

Prasco Park

6:30 PM

Xavier University

27-31

Creighton

38-11

Xavier

Creighton

Xavier's BIG EAST Tournament Runs Ends Against No. 1 Creighton

05.25.19 | Baseball

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

Luke Franzoni, Conor Grammes homer as Xavier erases four-run deficit

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

MASON, Ohio - Xavier baseball's BIG EAST Tournament run ended on Saturday evening in a 9-8 loss to No. 1 seed Creighton in the championship bracket of the double-elimination tournament. The Musketeers moved to 27-31 on the season and finish as runners-up in the conference tournament.

Xavier jumped out to a three-run lead in the first, but Creighton responded in the bottom of the inning to go ahead, never relinquishing the lead.

An Allbry Major home run started the scoring for Xavier in the top of the first, where the Musketeers scored three. A grand slam for Creighton in the bottom of the first put the Bluejays ahead, 4-3. Creighton pushed the lead out to as many as four with a three-run fourth. Xavier scored three in the bottom of the fifth, with Luke Franzoni hitting his third home run of the day, a two-run shot, as Xavier pulled within one, 7-6.

CU added two runs in the bottom of the fifth to go back ahead by three, 9-6. Xavier scored two more on a Conor Grammes two-run homer in the top of the sixth to get within one, 9-8. Xavier would get the tying run to third base in the top of the ninth, but couldn't get the run across the plate.

2019 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Three Musketeers, Conor Grammes, Luke Franzoni and Allbry Major, earned a spot on the 2019 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team.
Conor Grammes earned a spot as a pitcher and designated hitter. Grammes went 7.0 innings on the start, allowing no runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts in his fifth win. Grammes also earned it as a designated hitter, getting five hits, including a pair home runs, batting .294 with a pair of RBI.
Luke Franzoni earned a spot as an outfielder, batting .375, including hitting three home runs with six RBI.
Allbry Major also earned a spot as an outfielder, hitting .294 with three doubles in his five hits.

XU AT THE PLATE

Luke Franzoni homered in the fifth inning, a two-run shot, for his third of the day combined with the early game to bring his season total to 11. Franzoni went 1-of-4 at the plate.
Allbry Major homered in the first inning, his seventh of the year. Major went 2-of-5 at the plate with two runs scored.
Conor Grammes hit a two-run homer in the sixth, his eighth of the year. Grammes finished 1-of-5 at the plate with a walk.
Chris Givin went 2-of-5 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Jack Housinger went 2-of-5 at the plate.
Natale Monastra collected a pair of walks, scoring a run.
Matt Warkentin and Ryan Altenberger also contributed runs. Xavier finished with 10 hits and seven walks.

XU ON THE MOUND

Nick Zwack started the game, going 3.2 innings with seven runs allowed on eight hits and two walks.
Sam Czabala entered for the final out of the fourth, facing four batters with two runs on three hits allowed.
Lane Flamm entered in the fifth, pitching 4.0 complete, striking out four with no runs allowed on six hits.

HOW THEY SCORED

FIRST INNING | Allbry Major got the Musketeers on the board with a solo home run over the left field wall with two outs in the top of the first. Matt Warkentin and Chris Givin followed with two out singles to get two runnes on for Ryan Altenberger. Altenberger doubled to centerfield to put Xavier ahead, 3-0.

FIFTH INNING | Allbry Major led off the inning with a double down the right field line, then advanced to third on a throwing error that allowed Matt Warkentin to reach. Major scored on a fielders choice that allowed Givin to reach, cutting the Creighton lead to 7-4. Luke Franzoni homered to left field to score two, bringing Xavier within one, 7-6.

SIXTH INNING | Natale Monastra walked to lead off the inning, followed by a homer for Conor Grammes to cut Creighton leads back to one, 9-8.

HIGHLIGHTS