Xavier Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader at Butler

Saturday, May 7

Indianapolis, Ind.

12 PM

Xavier University

23-23, 7-6

Butler

18-27-1, 2-10-1

Xavier

Butler

Xavier Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader at Butler

05.07.22 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game Three Tomorrow Afternoon

By: Mark Leopold, Xavier Athletics Communications

INDIANAPOLIS, IN. - It was a long day of baseball between Xavier and Butler, but in the end the Musketeers came away with not one but two victories on Saturday. Xavier had to stage a late comeback to take the matinee, but they did to emerge victorious by a score of 7-5. Game two was a clinic, as Xavier put up 19 runs on 25 hits to win by 11.

It was a pitcher's duel early in Game One, as the first run didn't cross until the third inning. Down 0-1, Xavier was quick to respond in the top of the fourth with a Garrett Schultz RBI single. Tied at one, Butler scored four times in a rally to chase Luke Bell from the mound. However, five runs would be all they'd score all game, as Jack Lynch never allowed another run to cross.

Luke Franzoni hit his 18th homer of the season, a two-run shot, to cut Butler's lead in half. Then in the seventh, Tyler DeMartino stepped up with the bases loaded and delivered a three-run go-ahead double to put the Musketeers up a run. He would later score with the help of another Andrew Walker single, and the 7-5 score would hold behind the arm of Jerry Huntzinger, who earned his seventh save of the season.

Picking up where they left off, Xavier was relentless at the dish in Game Two. DeMartino hit a two-run homer in the first, Jared Cushing hit an RBI single in the second, and the wheels came off for Butler as they allowed a seven-run third inning, capped off by a Jerry Huntzinger three-run home run.

Not even close to being done up 10-1, Xavier scored four times in the sixth with the help of back-to-back homers from Grant Stephenson and Jared Cushing. Jeff Holtz homered in the seventh, and Luke Franzoni homered in the eighth. Finally, Jeff Holtz hit his second homer of the day, Xavier's seventh, and accounted for three more RBIs, ending the 19 run rout. Butler scored five in the ninth, but it was way too little too late as Xavier won 19-8.

Xavier looks for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 pm ET.

GAME ONE

Andrew Walker was 3-5 including a double, an RBI, and a run scored.
Garrett Schultz went 2-4 with an RBI and Jared Cushing went 2-4 with a run scored.
Tyler DeMartino only had one hit, but it was the biggest swing of the game, a bases-loaded two-out two-strike three-RBI double to give Xavier the lead in the seventh.
Luke Franzoni was also only 1-5, but he had a crucial two-run homer in the sixth to keep the game close when it mattered.
Jerry Huntzinger also recorded a base hit, and Jack Housinger walked twice, scoring both times.

Luke Bell pitched 3.0 innings, allowing three runs but also striking out three.
Jack Lynch was next on the mound, and after giving up a couple of runs, he pitched 5.0 scoreless innings including three strikeouts.
Jerry Huntzinger came out of the crouch to pitch the ninth, and it was a clean one to net him his seventh save this year.

GAME TWO

19 runs. 25 hits. 10 different Musketeers got in on the action, six having multi-hit games.
Jared Cushing was 6-6 from the nine hole today, racking up a home run, a double, two RBIs and two runs.
Jeff Holtz was just as good, going 5-5 with two home runs, four RBIs and four runs.
Jerry Huntzinger went 3-5, including three RBIs and three runs with a long ball.
Andrew Walker got over the .300 mark today with a 3-6 performance that saw a double, an RBI, and three runs scored.
Grant Stephenson was 2-4 including a two-run homer as part of a three-RBI and two-run-scoring day.
Alex Helmin came in late but still went 2-3 with a run scored,
Tyler DeMartino was 1-3 with a two-RBI home run to kick off the game.
Luke Franzoni reached base four times, including a solo home run.
Garrett Schultz hit a double in game two, accounting for an RBI and later scoring.
Jack Housinger also had an RBI single to round out the tremendous scoring output for Xavier.

Jonathan Kelly drew the start for the second half of the twin bill, striking out five and allowing just one unearned run in 3.2 innings.
Justin Loer got the win by pitching 1.1 hitless innings in the fourth and fifth frame.
Mile Halligan pitched the sixth and seventh innings, allowing two runs but Xavier's lead was never in danger.
George Eisenhardt finished the ball game with two strikeouts in the final two innings.