Xavier Looks to Stay Hot on the Road at Eastern Kentucky

Tuesday, April 19

Richmond, Ky.

6 PM

Xavier University

Eastern Kentucky

Xavier Looks to Stay Hot on the Road at Eastern Kentucky

04.18.22 | Baseball

By: Mark Leopold, Xavier Athletics Communications

CINCINNATI, OH – Coming off a huge series win over Villanova, Xavier Baseball will take to the road and face Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm ET.

Xavier is 4-4 against the Colonels in their all-time series, but they've lost two of the three times they've met in the last 12 years.

OPPONENT NOTABLES

Eastern Kentucky has had a great start to their season, going 22-13 so far, including a seven and eight-game win streak.
A win on Saturday over Central Arkansas snapped a five-game losing streak heading into their battle with Xavier.
The Colonels were chosen to finish eighth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches' Poll, but they are currently tied for 4th.
Will Brian was named to the ASUN All-Conference Preseason Team, and currently leads EKU with a 2.11 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. He has 12 saves in 19 appearances, including 28 strikeouts.
Kendal Ewell has started all 35 games for the Colonels and holds a .381 batting average including seven home runs, seven doubles, 32 RBIs and 34 runs.

STARTERS

Trevor Olson has made eight starts for the Musketeers this season, compiling a 7.55 ERA and 2.00 WHIP. He leads the starters with 25 strikeouts, and has a 1-3 record. His best start came on March 19 against Indiana, when he pitched 5.0 shutout innings and only allowed one hit while striking out six.
Last season, the graduate senior appeared in 14 games and made 10 starts for Xavier last season. He finished the season with an ERA of 2.97 and 1.12 WHIP through 63.2 innings pitched, allowing 21 earned runs on 53 hits with 18 walks, striking out 50 along the way.
Lane Flamm returns for his senior year as one of the most impactful players of his class. Last year, he made 12 starts including a complete game. He pitched 65.1 innings and had 67 strikeouts en route to four wins, a 4.41 ERA and 1.50 WHIP.
This year, he has made 11 appearances and four starts. He has a 1-2 record, a 9.30 ERA and 2.16 WHIP. However, he's picked up two saves and 20 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched. He struck out a season-high seven batters on April 9 against Seton Hall.
George Eisenhardt embarked on his freshman campaign against Oregon State. He was a four-year varsity letterman for Lakeridge High School in Portland, Oregon, and earned All-League honors his freshman and sophomore year, and All-State in his sophomore year. He struck out four of 11 batters in his collegiate debut against the Crimson Tide.
He has made eight starts this season, going 1-5. Eisenhardt holds a 12.49 ERA and 2.59 WHIP while collecting 21 strikeouts.

THE BULLPEN

Jack Lynch has pitched in a team-high 15 games, boasting a 2.96 ERA and team-best 0.80 WHIP. He has a 5-0 record, pitching 27.1 innings and striking out 34 batters.
Luke Bell has also made 15 appearances this season, holding a 4.20 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. He is 3-0 after striking out 34 batters across 30.0 innings pitched.
Jared Gadd has made 13 appearances for the Musketeers with a 3.04 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He has three saves as a late reliever, and a 1-2 record. He also has 19 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched.
Miles Halligan has come in for 13 games, including four starts this season. He has a 6.75 ERA and 1.84 WHIP, striking out 22 in 26.2 innings.
Transfer Bryce Barnett has 12 appearances and four starts. He is 1-3 with a 6.10 ERA and 1.60 WHIP. However, he has earned a save and 18 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched.
Bobby Jones has 13 appearances to start the season, holding a 4.37 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 19 strikeouts in 22.2 innings.
Junior Jonathan Kelly appeared in a team-high 16 games out of the bullpen, pitching 24.2 innings and earning three saves last season. This year, he already has 13 appearances, but holds a 5.94 ERA and 1.86 WHIP. He is 3-0 in 2022 with 18 Ks in 16.2 innings pitched.
Xavier also returns relievers Connor Bailey, Ethan Bosacker, Dorsey Chatham, Xander Rojahn, Cooper Williams, Shawn Hepler, and Nick Boyle.
The Musketeers add newcomers Justin Loer, Carter Hendrickson, Jake Zicka, Hyatt Utzman, DJ Morand, Luke Hoskins, and Ryan Rumsey,

BEHIND THE PLATE

Leading the trio of catchers is Preseason All-BIG EAST honoree Jerry Huntzinger. The graduate student joined Xavier in Summer 2021 as a transfer from Seton Hall, coming off a 2021 season where he shared All-BIG EAST First Team honors with Xavier graduate catcher Natale Monastra.
Originally from Staten Island, N.Y., Huntzinger has a .276 batting average at Xavier, starting in 33 games this season. He has a 36 runs from the lead off spot, and he has hit six home runs and 17 RBIs. He also leads the team with 14 stolen bases on 18 attempts.
Sophomore Matthew DePrey has made 23 appearances and 15 starts at catcher this year. He has a .306 batting average including two doubles, two homers, 14 runs and 11``````````` RBIs.
Xavier also adds freshman Emmanuel Scott at catcher.

X IN THE OUTFIELD

Andrew Walker was picked as a Preseason All-BIG EAST outfielder. He's coming off a season where he was named All-BIG EAST Second Team. He appeared in 47 games, starting in 39, and led Xavier's every-day players at the plate with a .316 batting average, which ranked eighth in the conference. Walker collected 30 RBI last season, the most among Xavier's returners, and scored 32 runs, trailing just Housinger among Musketeers in 2021.
Walker is third on the team with a .315 batting average. He has started in 31 games this season accruing 14 extra base hits including a team-high two triples. He also has 28 runs scored and 20 RBIs to his credit.
Tyler DeMartino leads the Musketeers with a .352 average including six homers, seven doubles, and 28 RBIs. He has made 32 appearances so far this season and 30 have been starts.
Junior Garrett Schultz's batting average sits just over .300 at .308. In 33 games (31 starts) he has 10 doubles and one home run. He has a respectable 20 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
Alex Helmin has 25 appearances to his name including 14 starts. He is batting .207 with 12 hits, eight runs and six RBIs.
Xavier adds freshmen Aedan Anderson and Teddy Deters to their loaded outfield this season.

MUSKETEER INFIELD

Jack Housinger was named Preseason All-BIG EAST for a third-straight season prior to his senior campaign. Last season, he appeared in 50 games, and started in 49. His accolades were plentiful: .297 batting average (third on team), 52 hits (team-high), 17 doubles (team-high), five home runs. He scored 37 runs (team-high) and 28 RBIs (third on team), a team-high .437 OBP and third-best .480 SLG%. He drew a team-best 37 walks as well.
This season, Housinger is batting an impressive .299 with 20 extra base hits including nine doubles and 10 homers. He leads the team with 39 runs and is second with 35 RBIs. The shortstop has been an Ironman, starting in all of Xavier's 34 games.
Luke Franzoni is the fourth Musketeer named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team, and he represents first baseman. He started in all 41 games last year and held a .279 batting average including 36 hits, six doubles, and team-highs with two triples and nine home runs. He added 28 RBIs and 28 runs, drew 22 walks and was hit by four pitches. He finished with a team-high .566 SLG% and third-best .392 OBP.
Franzoni has 13 home runs to lead Xavier, three shy of tying the all-time single season record. In addition, he boasts a .328 batting average, 32 runs, and a team-high 34 RBIs.
Jared Cushing has 32 appearances and 28 starts under his belt, batting .271 for Xavier. His accolades include five homers, five doubles and a triple. Cushing has contributed 17 RBIs and 15 runs.
Xavier also returns Grant Stephenson, Eddie Rivero, Jackson Kaplowitz, Jeff Holtz and pitcher Jonathan Kelly who will take at-bats as an infielder on occasion. The Musketeers will also add incoming freshmen Ethan Hodge and Luke Hammond to their infield

ROAD WARRIORS

Xavier opened the season on the road, playing 22 away games before opening the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, March 23 against Michigan.
Overall, Xavier will play 40 games on the road, including trips to seven Power Five opponents: Alabama, Louisville, Oregon State, South Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, and Michigan.
Xavier will also face BIG EAST opponents Seton Hall, Georgetown, Butler, and UConn on the road.
Xavier played home and away with local rivals Cincinnati with a game at each home ball park, one at Prasco Park, and one as part of the Joe Nuxhall Classic: and they won all of them.
The Musketeers will host BIG EAST opponents Villanova, Creighton, and St. John's.

BIG (EAST) SUCCESS

The Musketeers have made five of seven 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 15-11 in a 2021 conference schedule and advanced to the BIG EAST Championship series against UConn.

PRESEASON PICKS

Ahead of the 2021, Xavier was picked the finish third in BIG EAST in the preseason coaches poll.
Additionally, four Musketeers, Jerry Huntzinger, Luke Franzoni, Jack Housinger, and Andrew Walker, were named to the the BIG EAST Preseason All-Conference list, as voted on by the coaches.

Preseason Coaches Poll

Connecticut (7)	49
Creighton (1)	41
Xavier	36
St. John's	30
Seton Hall	29
Butler	16
Georgetown	13
Villanova	10

First-place votes denoted in ( )

Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Alan Roden, So., OF, Creighton

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Dylan Tebrake, Jr., RHP, Creighton

Preseason All-BIG EAST

C – Jerry Huntzinger, Gr., Xavier
1B – Luke Franzoni, Sr., Xavier
2B – Andrew Meggs, Jr., Creighton
3B – Marty Higgins, RSo., St. John's *
SS – Jack Housinger, Sr., Xavier
DH – Alan Roden, So., Creighton
OF – Erik Stock, Sr., UConn *
OF – Will Gale, RSo., Seton Hall *
OF – Chris Rotondo, Sr., Villanova
OF – Andrew Walker, Sr., Xavier
SP – Austin Peterson, Sr., UConn
SP – Ian Murphy, RJr., St. John's
SP – Dylan Tebrake, Jr., Creighton
SP – Tyler Roche, So., St. John's
RP – Paul Bergstrom, Jr., Creighton

*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 taken.
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 15 years.
19 total XU players have been drafted since 1999.

XU TO HOST LEAGUE TOURNEY

The 2022 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.