Xavier Baseball Falls After Six-Run Seventh Inning for Louisville

Monday, February 21

Louisville, Ky.

5:30 PM

Xavier University

0-4

Louisville

2-2

Xavier

Louisville

Xavier Baseball Falls After Six-Run Seventh Inning for Louisville

02.21.22 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

Jared Cushing, Andrew Walker each pick up a pair of RBI

By: Xavier Athletic Communications

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Xavier baseball took an early lead, but a six-run seventh inning from Louisville was too much for the Musketeers to overcome, falling 7-6 to the Cardinals on Monday evening.

Xavier took the lead in the second inning on a Jared Cushing home run to left field, his first of the season. Louisville responded with a long ball in the bottom of the inning to tie it up, 1-1, which held through the third inning. In the fourth, Luke Franzoni crushed a ball to left field, his second home run of the season, to put the Musketeer back in front, 2-1.

The Musketeers added two runs in the seventh after Tyler DeMartino got aboard on an error and Andrew Walker singled to start the inning. With DeMartino on third, Walker stole second to put two runners in scoring position with one out for Jared Cushing.

Cushing picked up the RBI on a ground ball that sent DeMartino home and Grant Stephenson followed that with a single to center field to score Walker to make it 4-1 Xavier. Louisville responded with a six-run outburst in the bottom of seventh to take a three-run lead at 7-4.

In the top of the eighth, Jerry Huntzinger led off the inning with a double and Jack Housinger walked to get the first two batters on. A double steal moved both into scoring position, and an Andrew Walker single to left field brought both home to cut it to a 7-6 deficit. Xavier would hold the Cards off the board in the eighth but couldn't get the tying run across in the ninth to fall by one run.

The Musketeers will now travel to Surprise, Ariz., to take part in the Sanderson Ford College Classic. Xavier will face No. 14 Oregon State for a three game series running from Thursday, Feb. 24 through Saturday Feb. 26, with all three set for a 3:00 p.m. ET first pitch.

XU AT THE PLATE

Andrew Walker went 2-4 at the plate, driving in two RBI and scoring a run.
Jared Cushing (1-4) also drove in a pair of RBI and scored a run for the Musketeers with a second-inning home run, his first of the season.
Luke Franzoni (1-4) finished with an RBI and a run scored after hitting his second home run of the season in the fourth inning.
Jack Housinger went 1-2 at the plate with a walk, coming around to score in the eighth inning.
Grant Stephenson (1-4) drove in an RBI.
Jerry Huntzinger and Tyler DeMartino each scored a run.

XU ON THE MOUND

Luke Hoskins made the start for the Musketeers, going 2.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits, with a pair of strikeouts in his collegiate debut.
Bobby Jones entered for the final two outs of the third, pitching 3.0 scoreless innings without allowing a hit, striking out five.
Jared Gadd entered for the final two outs of the sixth, going 1.0 innings with three earned runs allowed on three hits and two walks.
Lane Flamm entered for the final two outs of the seventh, going 1.1 innings, finishing with three earned runs allowed on three hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts.
Jerry Huntzinger moved from catcher to the mound for the final out of the eighth, picking up an eight-pitch strikeout with the bases loaded to get the Musketeers to the ninth with just a one-run deficit.