Baseball Set for Three-Game Series at Baylor

Friday, March 12

Waco, Texas

7:30 PM ET

Xavier University

Baylor

03.11.21 | Baseball

All three games will stream on ESPN+

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier baseball (3-4) heads back out on the road this weekend, traveling to Waco, Texas, to face the Baylor Bears (7-4) for three games, beginning on Friday, March 12 and running through Sunday, March 14.

The Musketeers will face the Bears on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET and then again on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, with the series finale coming on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

PROBABLE STARTERS

	XAVIER	BAYLOR
Game 1	Trevor Olson (LHP)	Tyler Thomas (LHP)
Game 2	Nick Zwack (LHP)	Blake Helton (LHP)
Game 3	Ethan Bosacker (RHP)	Hayden Kettler (RHIP)

OPPONENT NOTABLES

The Bears enter the game at 7-4 after sweeping a four-game series with Memphis last weekend. Baylor also has wins over No. 17 Auburn at the Round Rock Classic in late February, Sam Houston State on March 2 and UT Rio Grande in the season opening series.
Jared McKenzie's .408 average leads the Bears at the plate with 20 hits in 49 at-bats, including five homers for a .755 slugging percentage.
Six other Bears are batting above .300, including Andy Thomas, who has a team-high 14 RBI and Davion Downey, who, with 11 hits and 11 walks, has a .489 on-base percentage, highest among Baylor's regular starters
Friday starter Tyler Thomas has made three starts on the season, allowing just three earned runs on 10 hits and seven walks in 17.0 innings pitched for a 1.59 ERA. The lefty has struck out a team-high 16 on the way to a 2-0 record.
Blake Helton, also a lefty, is projected to start on Saturday. He enters the game with a 4.15 ERA through 13.0 innings of work in three starts, allowing six earned runs on 14 hits with four walks and 12 strikeouts.
Hayden Kettler will make his second start of the season on Sunday. In his first appearance, the righty went 4.2 innings, giving up five hits and two walks, striking out five along the way, and allowing two earned runs in a no-decision.
This is the first match-up between the two programs.

MUSKETEERS ON THE MOUND

Trevor Olson is making his first start of the season and ninth of his Xavier career on Friday. The lefty has a 1.29 average in three apperances this season, going 7.0 innings with one earned run allowed on four hits. Olson has struck out seven with no walks.
Through two starts, Saturday starter Nick Zwack has a 0.00 ERA in 11.2 innings pitched, a team-high. Zwack only allowed five hits total through his first two apperances, striking out nine along the way.
Ethan Bosacker will make his second start of the season on Sunday, after going 4.1 innings in his first start, against Wofford, allowing just one earned run on four hits and picking up the win.
Usual Friday starter Lane Flamm has an ERA of 3.60 after allowing four earned runs on 12 hits in 10.0 innings of work, striking out a team-high 12 in his two apperances.
Jonathan Kelly has pitched 4.2 innings of relief in a pair of games, allowing just one run on four hits and picking up two saves.
Xander Rojahn has pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief in two outings for the Musketeers, walking five but not giving up a hit so far in 2021.
Trey Schramm closed out game one against Texas A&M, going 2.1 innings with no runs and no hits allowed, picking up the save.
Michael Dillon has made a pair of relief apperances, going 2.2 innings without allowing a run. Dillon has given up only two hits with three strikeouts and three walks along the way.

XU AT THE PLATE

Alex Helmin's .304 average leads the Musketeers after collecting a team-high seven hits in 23 at-bats, batting seventh primarily. Helmin's four-game hit streak is currently the longest among the Musketeers.
In 23 at-bats, Natale Monastra is batting .261 with six hits, second most on the team, and has scored four runs, matching for team-high. Monastra, who has started in the clean-up spot in all seven game, has a .370 on-base percentage, the highest among Xavier's regular starters.
Jonathan Kelly is batting .240 in 25 at-bats, with six hits on the season. Kelly has brought in four RBI with two multiple RBI games, and scored three runs for the Musketeers.
Luke Franzoni is batting .227 through 22 at-bats, collecting five hits. Among those five hits are a team-high three home runs, helping Franzoni bring in a team-high seven RBI. His .636 slugging percentage is tops among Xavier's regular starters.
Jared Cushing has collected five hits in 22 at-bats for a .227 average, bringing in two RBI and scoring a run.
Jack Housinger, batting second in all seven games so far, has a .222 average with six hits, including a pair of doubles, scoring three runs. Housinger also has three walks on the season to help extend his current on-base streak to four games, matching Alex Helmin for team-high.
Jeff Holtz has four hits in 19 at-bats through six starts at DH. Holtz, who batted No. 6 in five of his starts, has scored three runs and collected two RBI.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Xavier will remain in Cincinnati for its next four games, a four-game home-and-away series with the Cincinnati Bearcats.
The series opens on Thursday, March 18 at 4:00 the UC Baseball Stadium. The Bearcats also host game two of the series on Friday, March 19 at at 4:00 p.m.
Xavier will officially open its home schedule on Saturday, March 20, hosting the Bearcats at Hayden Field at 2:00 p.m.
The series will close out at Hayden Field on Sunday, March 21 at 1:00 p.m.
Xavier is 43-66 all time against Cincinnati after splitting the 2019 season series, 2-2. The Bearcats claimed a 2-1 win in April in the Joe Nuxhall Classic before Xavier took 2-of-3 in regular season-closing series, including wins at Cincinnati, and at Great American Ballpark in the regular season finale.

VS. CANCER

Xavier Baseball is once again joining forces with Vs. Cancer to raise money in support of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, taking part in a "Pledge It" campaign though eight games this season.
Donors can pledge to sponsor strikeouts or hits during the four-game series with Butler (April 16-18) and UConn (April 23-25) at Hayden Field. Fans wishing to support the fundraising efforts can make a donation per hit or per strikeout, pledging that amount for the team's total of either hits or strikeouts through those eight games. Sponsors can also choose to make outright gift of any amount.
Xavier Baseball has worked with Vs. Cancer since 2014 to help support children battling cancer, raising over $40,000 for the cause. Those funds were, in part, used to help the Vs. Cancer organization make a $100,000 gift to Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
With the donation, Cincinnati Children's Hospital was assisted in being able to establish its Proton Therapy Center, one of only two such centers in the world owned by a children's hospital.

WEEKLY AWARDS

Lefty Nick Zwack was named the first BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week of the 2021 on Monday, March 1. The award encompasses the first two series of the season for the Musketeers.
Through 11.2 innings pitched in two starts, Zwack has an ERA of 0.00, only giving up five hits total. In 2-0 win at Texas A&M, Zwack went 5.0 innings, not giving up a hit and striking out eight. The lefty retired the first seven batters he faced in order and only allowed four base runners, on three walks and one hit-by-pitch, picking up the win.
Against Wofford, Zwack went 6.2 innings without allowing a run, giving up five hits and four walks while striking out one.
Zwack, originally from Monticello, Minn., has earned Pitcher of the Week twice before in his career, once as a junior (3/4/20) and once as sophomore (2/25/19).

AT WOFFORD

Xavier went 1-3 in its second series of the season at Wofford, featuring a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28, to move to 3-4 on the season.
In game one, the he Terriers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and added two more in the fourth. Xavier scored a pair of runs, one in the fifth and one in the seventh and final frame, to set the final score at 4-2. Lane Flamm went the full 6.0 innings in the start of the seven inning game.
In game two, Xavier took a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning after Nick Zwack went 6.2 scoreless innings in his second start, but a five run bottom of the frame put the Terriers ahead, 5-2, to set the final score.
Xavier picked up the win in game three of the series, the opening game of the Sunday double-header after Xavier led off the first two innings with solo home runs, and a two-run homer in the fourth gave the Musketeers the cushion to take the win, despite Wofford runs in the second and sixth innings. Ethan Bosacker allowed just one run in 4.1 innings in his first start to get the win, and Jonathan Kelly came in to close out the game, picking up the save.
In the series finale, Xavier took a two-run lead in the top of the first, but the Terriers got a run back in the bottom of the inning, then took the lead on a five-run second inning. Xavier scored a run in the fourth and seventh frames to pull within two, but two more runs for Wofford in the bottom of the eight made it a four-run deficit for the Musketeers. In the top of the ninth, Xavier loaded the bases with the tying run at the plate but were unable to bring the runs home, falling 8-4.

AT TEXAS A&M

Xavier opened the season by taking two of three at Texas A&M, the first time the Musketeers have won a series against an SEC opponent.
The Musketeers took game one of the season opening double-header on the strength of their bats, winning 10-6 after collecting 13 hits, including three home runs. Six Musketeers collected multiple hits, including a two-homer day for Luke Franzoni, who collected three RBI for Xavier.
Lane Flamm went 4.0 innings in the start in game one at Texas A&M, allowing just two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Xander Rojahn was the first reliever out of the pen, pitching 2.0 scoreless innings and picking up the win. Trey Schramm picked up the save after not allowing a hit or a run in the final 2.1 innings.
Game two of the Saturday double header was a pitcher's dual, with Xavier using one swing of the bat to move the winning runs across the plate, winning 2-0. Nick Zwack went 5.0 innings in the start, not allowing a hit or a run and striking out eight on the way to picking up the win. Michael Dillon, Trevor Olson and Jonathan Kelly each only allowed one hit in relieve, with Kelly picking up the save.
Jonathan Kelly also collected the two RBIs on a home run, bringing in Jack Housinger who was on base after taking a walk.
Xavier fell in the series finale, 15-0. Griffin Lanoue made the start, and Jared Gadd, Sam Czabala, Evan Miller, Connor Bailey and Trevor Olson came out of the bullpen.
Five Musketeers collected hits, but were unable to score.

STARTING ROTATION (2020)

Lane Flamm, a preseason all-conference pick in 2020, appeared in 12 games, making 10 starts, including four starts on the mound for the Musketeers last season. Flamm finished the season with an ERA of 5.73 through 22.0 innings pitched, allowing 14 earned runs on 20 hits with 14 walks, striking out 16 along the way.
As a freshman, in 2019 the righty emerged as the Musketeers' go-to closer, appearing in 25 games as a reliever. Flamm finished with an ERA of 2.68 overall and 1.80 in BIG EAST action, collecting eight saves in 53.2 innings of work in 2019, with four coming in against conference opponents.
Nick Zwack, a preseason All-BIG EAST selection, is coming off a 2020 season where he posted a 2.31 ERA in four starts, collecting a record of 2-2 for the abbreviated season. In 23.1 innings pitched, a team-high, Zwack allowed just six earned runs on 10 hits and nine walks, while striking out a team-high 28 along the way.
In 2019, Zwack made 20 appearances with 12 starts, finishing with a record of 4-3 and an ERA of 6.28. Zwack gave up 37 earned runs on 61 hits, struck out 43 and walked just 24 in 53.0 innings of work as a sophomore.
Griffin Lanoue made four starts on the mound in in 2020, allowing just nine earned runs off of 17 hits in 11.1 innings of work for a 7.15 ERA against the No. 2 ranked strength of schedule. Lanoue had nine strike outs and nine walks for the season.
In 2019, Lanoue made 10 starts in 13 appearances during 2019, finishing the season with a 3-3 record after allowing 34 earned runs on 54 hits, while striking out 25 in 45.1 innings of work.

THE BULLPEN (2020)

Sophomore Jonathan Kelly appeared made five appearances out of the bullpen, pitching 6.0 innings with a team-best ERA of 1.50 in shortened 2020 season, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk, striking out five along the way. He picked up the first win of his collegiate career against No. 17 Long Beach State after holding the Dirtbags scoreless in the extra frames, going 2.0 innings with just one hit allowed overall.
Sophomore Jack Lynch was named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American following a 2020 season where he posted a 1.69 ERA through 10.2 innings of work in five appearances. Lynch allowed just one earned run on four hits and a walk, while striking out five. He picked up the first win of his college career in his first outing, helping the Musketeers to a 9-6 win against Memphis, and also pitched season-high five innings in the 2-1 win at No. 17 Long Beach State, allowing no runs on two hits with a season-best four strikeouts.
Sophomore Xander Rojahn made six appearances, including one start, in 2020, pitching 14.0 innings, a team-high among Xavier's relievers. Rojahn finished with a 5.79 ERA, allowing nine earned runs on 11 hits with nine walks and 15 strikeouts.
Trevor Olson made five appearances, including a pair of starts, in 2020, allowing 13 earned runs on 19 hits and four walks for 10.97 ERA. Olson struck out five on the season, including a season-high three against Ole Miss.
In 2019, Olson appeared in 22 games and made one start. The junior left-hander ended 2019 with an ERA of 6.19 in 36.1 innings of work, with 31 strikeouts to just 16 bases on balls.
Trey Schramm made seven appearances in 2020, pitching a total of 7.1 innings and allowing nine earned runs on 13 hits and two walks for a 10.57 ERA while recording four strikeouts. Schramm led the Musketeers with a pair of saves.
Schramm appeared in 20 games in relief for the Musketeers in 2019. The righty went 3-2 on the season with an ERA of 5.66 in 35.0 innings of work, allowing 22 earned runs on 38 hits with 19 strikeouts.
Sam Czabala, a lefty, pitched 6.2 innings in four appearances during season shortened 2020 season. He collected six strikeouts and walked just one in 30 batters faced and ended the season with an ERA of 6.75, allowing five earned runs on six hits.
Czabala made 18 relief appearances in 2019, posting an ERA of 3.44 in 34.0 innings pitched with a record of 3-2. Czabala allowed just 13 earned runs on 26 hits with 27 strikeouts to his credit and just 10 walks.
Xavier also returns relievers Ethan Bosacker, Evan Miller, Shawn Hepler who made appearances last season, as well as sophomore Michael Dillon, Jared Gadd, Connor Gill, Luke McCollough, Bobby Spencer and Cooper Williams.
The Musketeers add transfer Luke Bell (Chandler-Gilbert) in addition to newcomers Connor Bailey, Nick Boyle, Dorsey Chatham, Colin Clifford, Miles Halligan and Bobby Jones.

BEHIND THE PLATE (2020)

Natale Monastra, the coaches' preseason pick at catcher for a second-straight season, made 15 appearances in 2020, finishing with a .230 average at the plate, collecting 14 hits and scoring 10 runs, both team highs. Monastra had a .992 fielding percentage when the 2020 season came to a close.
In 2019, Monastra batted .237 overall, with a .313 average in 15 BIG EAST appearances, collecting 15 hits against conference opponents, including a team-high three triples. Monastra finished the 2019 season with a fielding percentage of .997, the highest among Xavier's regular players. Monastra has just one error in 51 appearances, and has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 13 starts in BIG EAST play.
Luke Stephenson returns as a key utility player making three starts at catcher in 2020, in addition to seven starts in the outfield. Stephenson collected four hits in 33 at bats, including three doubles to match team-high, bringing in two RBI and scoring four runs.
Stephenson made 28 appearances in 2019, including 12 starts at catcher, batting .203 on the season and .231 in conference play.
Xavier also adds freshman Matthew DePrey at catcher.

X IN THE OUTFIELD (2020)

Luke Franzoni started in all 15 games in 2020, primarily in right field, collected 13 hits in 54 at bats. Franzoni had 12 RBI for the season, matching the team-high, and scored eight runs, and had a team-best three home runs and .407 slugging percentage.
In 2019, Franzoni made 42 appearances, including 32 starts, mostly in center field. Franzoni hit .254 for his freshman season, hitting his stride during BIG EAST play where batted .320 in 14 appearances with a .620 slugging percentage, boosted by a team-high four home runs against BIG EAST opponents. Franzoni led the Musketeers with 11 homers overall for a team-best slugging percentage of .563 for the season. His 35 RBI from 2019 are the most among Xavier's returnees.
Garrett Schultz's started in the outfield in all 15 games in 2020, making eight starts in center. Schultz finished his rookie season with a .228 average at the plate after collecting 13 hits in 57 at-bats, bringing in 12 RBI, second most on the team. For the season, he had three doubles, matching for team high, and two home runs, for a .386 slugging percentage, third highest on the team.
Andrew Sexton appeared in 13 games, starting in seven games in center field. Sexton collected three hits and seven bases on balls for a .357 on-base percentage, second highest on the team.
Andrew Walker appeared in 11 games, starting in eight in season in 2020, including seven starts in left field. He collected four hits and six walks, scoring four runs and bringing in four RBI for the season.
Xavier returns reserve Jack Krumbach, and adds transfers Alex Helmin (Arizona State) and Tyler DeMartino (West Virginia) to its outfield roster.

MUSKETEER INFIELD (2020)

Jack Housinger was named Preseason All-BIG EAST for a second-straight season prior to his junior campaign. In 2020, he started in 15 games, batting .232 with 13 hits and and nine runs. Housinger had a team-best 12 walks and .377 on-base percentage in the abbreviated season against the second-toughest schedule in the country.
As a freshman, he batted .275 on the season, with 47 hits and a team-high matching 36 walks for an on-base percentage of .407. Housinger had 12 doubles on the season, with five coming in BIG EAST play. Housinger finished his freshman year with fielding percentage of .974.
Ryan Altenberger appeared in 10 games, starting in nine in 2020. During his junior season, he batted .212 in 33 plate appearances, collecting seven hits, including a double, a triple and a home run. On defense he had a .942 fielding percentage playing primarily in the middle infield, and was part of team-high nine double plays.
Last season, Altenberger was a preseason All-BIG EAST selection after a 2019 campaign where he hit .259 in 158 plate appearances, scoring 32 runs on 41 hits and 27 walks. He finished 2019 with a slugging percentage of .443, finishing with 12 doubles a triple and five home runs, collecting multiple hits in 11 games last year. He also collected eight stolen bases in 14 attempts in 2019.
In 2020, Kody Darcy made 13 appearances, including 12 starts, in season shortened to 15 games, collecting six hits and two walks in 41 at bats for a .146 batting average. For the season he knocked in two RBI and scored three runs. Darcy finished with two doubles, and two home runs, matching the second most on the team, for a slugging percentage of .341. On defense he made seven appearances at shortstop and five at second base, finishing the season with a .960 fielding percentage.
In 2019, Darcy appeared in Xavier's starting line-up 26 times, including 10 conference match-ups during his freshman season, primarily at third base. Darcy batted .170 overall but had a mark of .206 in 11 BIG EAST appearances, scoring seven runs on seven hits.
In addition to making six appearances on the mound, Jonathan Kelly also made seven starts playing at first base for the Musketeers. He collected four hits in 29 at-bats, including a season-high two in win over Charleston and had four walks on the season.
Xavier also returns Sam Olson and Eddie Rivero who each made multiple starts in the infield for the Musketeers, as well as junior Jackson Kaplowitz, and adds transfers Jared Cushing (Texas Tech) and Jeff Holtz (Madison College) in addition to freshman Grant Stephenson.

ROAD WARRIORS

Xavier opens the season on the road, playing 16 away games before opening the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, March 20 against Cincinnati.
Overall, Xavier will play 34 games on the road, including trips to two SEC opponents, Texas A&M and Auburn, as well as Wofford, Mercer and Evansville in non-conference action.
Xavier will also face BIG EAST opponents St. John's, Villanova and Creighton on the road for four-game series.
Xavier will play home and away with local rivals Cincinnati and Dayton, with each team hosting two of the four-game series.
The Musketeers will host BIG EAST opponents Butler, UConn, Seton Hall and Georgetown for four-game series.

BIG (EAST) SUCCESS

The Musketeers have made four of six of the four-team BIG EAST Tournaments since joining the conference, and claiming the tournament championship three times (2014, 2016, 2017), as well as winning the regular season title in 2016.
The Musketeers went 12-4 in a 2019 conference schedule abbreviated by two rain-outs, earning the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, and advanced to the BIG EAST Championship series.

PRESEASON PICKS

Ahead of the 2021, Xavier was picked the finish fifth in BIG EAST in the preseason coaches poll.
Additionally, three Musketeers, Natale Monastra, Jack Housinger and Nick Zwack, were named to the the BIG EAST Preseason All-Conference list, as voted on by the coaches.
Graduate student Natale Monastra, the coaches' preseason pick at catcher, has appeared in 150 games as a Musketeer, starting in 128. In 15 appearances in 2020, Monastra had a .230 average at the plate, collecting 14 hits and scoring 10 runs, both team highs, against the nation's second toughest schedule.
Junior Jack Housinger, a Preseason All-BIG EAST selection in the infield, has appeared in 70 games for the Musketeers, starting in 65 of those. He started in 15 games in 2020, batting .232 with 13 hits and and nine runs. Housinger had a team-best 12 walks and .377 on-base percentage in the abbreviated season against the second-toughest schedule in the country.
Senior lefty Nick Zwack is a preseason All-Conference selection coming off a 2020 season where he posted a 2.31 ERA in four starts, collecting a record of 2-2 for the abbreviated season. In 23.1 innings pitched, a team-high, Zwack allowed just six earned runs on 10 hits and nine walks, while striking out a team-high 28 along the way. Zwack allowed just two hits in 5.2 innings in a win at Memphis, striking out nine, which matched his season-high in a 7.0 inning outing against No. 17 Long Beach State. In a win at Charleston, Zwack also went 7.0 innings, allowing no runs on two hits with seven strikeouts.

Preseason Coaches Poll

Connecticut (5)	45
Creighton (2)	44
Seton Hall (1)	35
St. John's	33
Xavier	26
Villanova	19
Butler	15
Georgetown	7

First-place votes denoted in ( )

Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Tyler Shedler-McAvoy, Seton Hall, Grad Student, OF
Kyler Fedko, UConn, So., OF

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Connor Schultz, Butler, Sr., RHP

Preseason All-BIG EAST

Natale Monastra, Xavier, Grad Student., C

Matt Toke, Seton Hall, Grad Student, 1B ^

Christian Fedko, UConn, Jr., 2B

Jack Housinger, Xavier, Jr., 2B

Jake Lazarro, St. John's, RS-Fr., SS

Eddie McCabe, Georgetown, Sr., 3B/DH

Reggie Crawford, UConn., RS-Fr., DH

A.J. Lotsis, Georgetown, Grad Student, DH/OF

Tyler Shedler-McAvoy, Seton Hall, Grad Student, OF ^

Kyler Fedko, UConn, So., OF

Connor Schultz, Butler, Sr., RHP ^

Gordon Graceffo, Villanova, Jr., RHP

Ian Murphy, St. John's, RS-So., RHP

Nick Zwack, Xavier, Sr., LHP

Caleb Wurster, UConn, LHP (Relief)

^ denotes unanimous selection

MUSKETEERS IN THE DRAFT

Xavier had pair of selections in the 2019 MLB Draft, with Conor Grammes going in the fifth round to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chris Givin selected in the 19th round by the San Diego Padres. The pair's selection marked the third time in four years multiple Musketeers were selected.
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.
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 has had at least one player drafted in 12 of the last 16 years.
19 total XU players have been drafted since 1999.

XU TO HOST LEAGUE TOURNEY

The 2021 BIG EAST Baseball Championship presented by Jeep will be co-hosted by Xavier baseball at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio during Memorial Day Weekend.
The BIG EAST announced in 2019 that Prasco Park would serve as host through 2022, extending the partnership, which began in 2018, through five years. Xavier will remain the co-host of the annual postseason tournament.