Xavier Fights for Second Win over Cincinnati

Sunday, March 27

Cincinnati, Ohio

2 PM

Xavier University

11-13

Cincinnati

9-12

Cincinnati

Xavier

03.27.22 | Baseball

Box Score

Musketeers defeat crosstown rivals at Hayden Field

By: Mark Leopold, Xavier Athletics Communications

CINCINNATI, OH - Behind the power of Jack Housinger and the arm of Jack Lynch, Xavier withstood the Bearcats attack and came out on top this afternoon. For the second-straight game, Xavier had their hands full with UC, but ultimately came away with an 8-7 victory. This marked the first of Xavier's 24 games in which the first team to score five runs did not go on to win the game.

The bats were hot on a chilly day in Cincinnati. The Bearcats started the scoring with a sac fly in the first, but Xavier immediately answered with a Housinger RBI double to tie things up. Cincinnati tried to blow the game open behind two two-rbi singles in the second to go up 5-1, but Housinger had other plans as he launched a no-doubt grand slam to right to again even the score.

In the third, a determined Cincinnati again took the lead with a sac fly, but they gave it right back with an errant pick-off throw allowing Andrew Walker to score and tie things at six after three. In the fourth, Cincinnati scored again with a solo home run, but it would be their last. As things settle down, Jerry Huntzinger crushed a ball into Victory Parkway over the left field wall. A massive batflip and two-RBIs later, Xavier was on top 8-7 for good.

Xavier is back in action with Cincinnati tomorrow, going out to Prasco Park to play under the lights. First pitch is at 5:00 pm ET from Mason, Ohio.

XU AT THE PLATE

Jack Housinger was the force for Xavier's offense, hitting five RBIs in the first two innings, ultimately finishing just a triple shy of the cycle in a 3-3 day.
Jerry Huntzinger hit the go-ahead home run in the sixth with a moonshot to left, part of a 2-5 day.
Ethan Hodge had a good day from the nine-hole, going 3-4 and scoring two runs after setting the table for the top of the order.
Andrew Walker and Jared Cushing both collected hits and later scored.
Garrett Schultz had Xavier's other hit in a 1-4 day.

XU ON THE MOUND

In what proved to be a busy day for Xavier pitches, Lane Flamm started the game but didn't get out of the third after giving up six earned runs. However, he did collect four strikeouts.
Miles Halligan stemmed the tide a bit, going 1.2 innings and striking out two while giving up just one run.
Jack Lynch got the ball in the unenviable position with the bases loaded and nobody out in the fourth, but he promptly set down three batters in order to keep Xavier in arm's reach. He would ultimately go three scoreless innings and pick up four strikeouts while making the Bearcats go 0-7 with RISP.
Luke Bell pitched a clean 8th inning and held the one run lead, striking out a Bearcat looking.
Jerry Huntzinger got out of the catcher's crouch and onto the mound for the save, striking out one and sealing the victory for Xavier.