Musketeers Use Five-Run Ninth to Take 10-5 Win in Series Opener at Creighton

Thursday, May 20

Omaha, Neb.

7:30 PM ET

Xavier University

24-22, 14-9

Creighton

21-12, 13-5

Xavier

Creighton

Musketeers Use Five-Run Ninth to Take 10-5 Win in Series Opener at Creighton

05.20.21 | Baseball

Box Score

Nick Zwack sets new career high with 11 strikeouts in the start

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

OMAHA, Neb. - After Creighton erased a Xavier lead late, the Musketeers used a big ninth at the plate inning to go back in front, securing the series opening win against the Bluejays, 10-5, on Thursday night at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Xavier moved to 24-22 overall and 14-9 in BIG EAST play while Creighton moved to 21-12 overall and 13-5 in conference play.

The Musketeers took a two-run lead in the third, and kept the Bluejays off the board until the sixth. CU picked up a run, but the Musketeers added two more, on home runs from Jared Cushing and Luke Franzoni, in the seventh to take a 4-1 lead. Each team added a run to keep the Musketeer lead at three going into the bottom of the eighth. Three Creighton runs sent the game to the ninth tied 5-5, but Franzoni's second homer of the day put the Musketeers back in front, 6-5. Xavier added four more runs in the top of the ninth to take the 10-5 win.

Nick Zwack went into the sixth inning in the start, finishing with a new career high 11 strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Dorsey Chatham picked up the win after pitching the final 1.2 innings.

The series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader, set to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET, moved back from its original start time of 2:00 p.m. ET. The series wraps up on Sunday with game four set to begin at 1:00 p.m. ET.

SCORING RECAP

3RD INNING | Tyler DeMartino and Jared Cushing led the inning off with back to back walks, and Sam Olson used a sac bunt to advance the runners. Franzoni hit a single with two on and one out to bring in DeMartino, putting Xavier ahead, 1-0. With runners on the corners, Jack Housinger hit a single into center field to bring in Cushing, putting Xavier ahead, 2-0.

7TH INNING | With one out, Jared Cushing hit a solo home run to left field to put Xavier ahead, 3-1. Luke Franzoni followed by hitting a solo shot to left center, making it a 4-1 Xavier lead.

8TH INNING | Natale Monastra led off the inning with a single up the middle and with two outs, Tyler DeMartino hit a triple into centerfield to drive in the run, putting Xavier ahead, 5-2.

9TH INNING | With one out, Luke Franzoni hit a solo home run, his second of the day, to left field to put Xavier ahead, 6-5. Jack Housinger walked, Natale Monastra was intentionally walked and Garrett Schultz was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Alex Helmin, Helmin singled through the right side to bring in Housinger and Monastra, putting Xavier ahead, 8-5. With Schultz and Helmin on, Tyler DeMartino singled up the middle to bring in Schultz, making it 9-5 Xavier. Jared Cushing reached on a throwing error, allowing Helmin to advance to third and then score, making it 10-5 Xavier.

XU AT THE PLATE

Luke Franzoni (3-5, 3 RBI, 2 R) added to his team-high home run total with a pair of solo home runs, hitting to left center in the seventh inning and to left in the ninth, to bring his season total to eight.
Jared Cushing (2-4, 1 RBI, 2 R) hit a solo home run to left field in the seventh inning, his second of the season and first in BIG EAST play.
Tyler DeMartino went 2-4 with a walk, bringing in two RBI and scoring a run.
Jack Housinger went 2-3 with two walks, driving in an RBI and scoring a run.
Natale Monastra went 1-4 with a walk, scoring two runs.
Alex Helmin went 1-5, driving in two RBI and scoring a run.

XU ON THE MOUND

Nick Zwack made the start, going 5.1 innings allowing just three hits, with one earned run. Zwack walked three while striking out a career-high 11, bringing his career total to 212, tied for sixth most in program history.
Michael Dillon entered with two on and one out in the sixth, working out of a jam to preserve the lead. Dillon went 1.1 innings, giving up one earned run, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out two.
Jack Lynch entered with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh, picking up the out after a wild pitch allowed a run to score. Lynch came back out in the eighth, facing two batters before exiting with 0.1 innings of work, not allowing a hit and walking one.
Trey Schramm entered with two on and no outs, going 0.1 innings with one earned run scoring, allowing one hit with three walks.
Dorsey Chatham entered for the final two outs of eighth, going the final 1.2 innings, with out allowing a base runner. Chatham picked up the win to move to 3-1 on the season.