Xavier Falls to UConn in BIG EAST Championship

Sunday, May 29

Mason, Ohio / Prasco Park

12 PM

Xavier University

33-27

UConn

46-13

Xavier

Connecticut

Photo by: Rooted Creative

Xavier Falls to UConn in BIG EAST Championship

05.29.22 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score Photos

Luke Franzoni named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after record-breaking weekend

By: Xavier Athletics Communications

MASON, Ohio - Xavier baseball's BIG EAST Tournament run came to a close in the BIG EAST Championship series, with the Musketeers falling 7-2 to finish BIG EAST runners-up.

In Sunday's game, UConn scored two runs in the first inning and three in the second to take a 5-0 lead into the third where a lead-off single from Jack Housinger, put one on for Luke Franzoni who hit his fifth home run of the tournament to cut the UConn lead back to 5-2.

The three-run UConn lead held nto the seventh when the Huskies added a pair of runs to take a 7-2 lead which held to the final pitch.

Following the conclusion of the game, the Jack Kaiser Most Outstanding Player trophy was awarded to Franzoni after a record-setting weekend in Mason, Ohio. The senior first baseman set BIG EAST Championship records with five home runs in four games, to go along with a pair of grand slams, 16 RBI and seven runs.

Three other Musketeers, Andrew Walker, Jack Housinger and Jerry Huntzinger, were named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team following Xavier's record breaking performance, with the team collecting 50 RBI through the tournament, and setting single games marks for home runs and runs scored in Saturday night's 27-8 win over Creighton.

Xavier finished with 33 wins, the most since Xavier's 34-win campaign in 2017, the third most in a single season in program history. The 2022 Musketeers also set a collection of new records, crushing the previous team home run record by over 30, with 100 for the 2022 season. The Musketeers also set a new program high with 450 runs scored. Defensively, the program's 482 strikeouts are a new program best.

The Musketeers also had top-10 single season marks for batting average (.300), hits (632), runs batted in (425), at-bats (2108), walks (280) offensively, as well as with 14 saves, and a .970 fielding percentage on defense.

Offensively, Luke Franzoni set new standards for single season (29) and career (52) home runs, a new single season marks for RBIs (78) and matching single game highs for home runs (3) and RBIs (11), while Jack Housinger set a new single-season mark for runs scored (68), and is tied for second most home runs in a single season (16).

On the mound, Jack Lynch also enters the top 10 of Xavier's records for single season appearances (28) and wins (9) while Jerry Huntzinger enters the Xavier single season top-10 with nine saves.

AT THE PLATE

Luke Franzoni collected both RBIs for the game on his 29th home run of the season, and his 52nd of his Xavier career, both Xavier records.
Jack Housinger led the Musketeers with three hits (3-4), coming around to score a run on Luke Franzoni's home run in the fourth inning.
Jerry Huntzinger, Tyler DeMartino, Grant Stephenson and Jared Cushing each had hits on the day.

ON THE MOUND

Connor Bailey made the start on the mound, going 1.0 innings with five runs allowed, four earned, on three hits, a walk and two hit by pitches.
Jack Lynch entered in the second inning and went a career-long 6.0 innings, setting a new career high with seven strikeouts. Lynch allowed two runs on six hits and two walks.
Bryce Barnett entered for the eighth inning, not allowing a baserunner in a scoreless 1.0 inning to close out the game.

HIGHLIGHTS