Xavier University Athletics
Sunday, February 26
Cullowhee, NC
12:10 PM
Xavier University
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Western Carolina
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Xavier
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Western Carolina
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Photo by: Mark Haskett
Musketeers Run Rule in Game One, Post Comeback in Game Two of Doubleheader to Sweep Catamounts
02.26.23 | Baseball
Musketeers post a combined 31 runs on Sunday to complete three-game sweep
CULLOWHEE, N.C. -Â Scoring a combined 31 runs on 37 hits through two games on Sunday, Xavier baseball posted a pair of wins over Western Carolina in a doubleheader to close out the weekend. Xavier moved to 3-5 on the season with the three-game sweep of the Catamounts.
In game one, the Musketeers took an early lead and never relinquished it, scoring a pair in the second and adding runs in the fourth and fifth to take a 5-1 lead into the sixth inning. The Catamounts posted a pair of runs in the sixth to make it a two run game before Xavier broke the game open with back-to-back five-run innings to take a 15-3 lead in the eighth, ending the game on that score on the bottom of the frame on a run rule.
In game two, Western Carolina took control early, scoring three runs in each of the first two innings to take a 6-0 lead into the third. Xavier responded with a four-run frame, but the Catamounts got all four runs back in the bottom of the inning, adding another tally in the fourth to take an 11-4 lead into the fifth inning. Xavier outscore Western Carolina 12-1 from that point on, capping off the come-back with a six-run ninth inning to pull in front for the first time in the game, winning by a final score of 16-12.
For the day, Matt McCormick went 7-9 (.778) at the plate, including a pair of home runs, drove in three RBI and scored four runs. Matthew DePrey also posted a pair of home runs, going 6-9 (.667) with a walk, finishing the day with three RBI and five runs scored.
Andrew Walker and Jared Cushing each drove in five RBI for the day, and Grant Stephenson added four, with all three batting .400 through the two games on Sunday.
Xavier returns to the Greater Cincinnati area for its midweek match-up, traveling to NKU on Tuesday, February 28, set for a 2:00 p.m. start.
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In game one, the Musketeers took an early lead and never relinquished it, scoring a pair in the second and adding runs in the fourth and fifth to take a 5-1 lead into the sixth inning. The Catamounts posted a pair of runs in the sixth to make it a two run game before Xavier broke the game open with back-to-back five-run innings to take a 15-3 lead in the eighth, ending the game on that score on the bottom of the frame on a run rule.
In game two, Western Carolina took control early, scoring three runs in each of the first two innings to take a 6-0 lead into the third. Xavier responded with a four-run frame, but the Catamounts got all four runs back in the bottom of the inning, adding another tally in the fourth to take an 11-4 lead into the fifth inning. Xavier outscore Western Carolina 12-1 from that point on, capping off the come-back with a six-run ninth inning to pull in front for the first time in the game, winning by a final score of 16-12.
For the day, Matt McCormick went 7-9 (.778) at the plate, including a pair of home runs, drove in three RBI and scored four runs. Matthew DePrey also posted a pair of home runs, going 6-9 (.667) with a walk, finishing the day with three RBI and five runs scored.
Andrew Walker and Jared Cushing each drove in five RBI for the day, and Grant Stephenson added four, with all three batting .400 through the two games on Sunday.
Xavier returns to the Greater Cincinnati area for its midweek match-up, traveling to NKU on Tuesday, February 28, set for a 2:00 p.m. start.
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  GAME ONE |
- Brant Alazaus made the start on the mound in game one, going 5.2 innings with three runs allowed on five hits, striking out five on the way to his first win as a Musketeer.
- Luke Hoskins entered with two outs in the sixth, picking up the final out of the inning. He went 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and striking out a pair.
- Creighton Hansen pitched the eighth, not allowing a hit and posting one strikeout to one walk.
- At the plate, Matthew DePrey went 3-3 for the first game, including a pair of home runs, driving in a team-high three RBI. He also took a pair of walks in the first outing of the day.
- Matt McCormick posted his second multi-home run game of the week, going 3-4 with a walk in game one, scoring three runs and driving in two RBI.
- Carter Hendrickson collected a pair of RBI, going 2-3 at the plate with two runs scored.
- Andrew Walker (1-5) and Garrett Schultz (1-6) each drove in a pair of RBIs.
- Jack Housinger, Grant Stephenson, Jared Cushing and Hayden Christiansen each posted multi-hit performances, with Xavier collecting a then-season high 18 hits for the game.
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  GAME TWO |
- Nick Boyle made the start, allowing three runs on four hits in 1.0 innings pitched.
- Luke Bell entered in the second, going 1.2 innings. He allowed seven runs, six earned, on five hits with a strikeout and a pair of walks.
- Jonathan Kelly came in for the final out of the third, not allowing a run in 0.1 innings pitched, giving up one hit and striking out one.
- Connor Bailey went 2.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits, with one strikeout to one walk.
- Justin Loer pitched 3.1 scoreless innings to close out the game, giving up just two hits, striking out a pair and walking two. Loer picked up his first win of the season.
- Xavier posted a season-high 19 hits in game two, led by a 4-5 game at the plate for Matt McCormick.
- Jared Cushing (2-6) posted a team-high four RBI, driving in three in the fifth inning on his second home run of the season.
- Grant Stephenson (2-5) posted a three-RBI game, including a two-run home run in the ninth inning, his first of the season.
- Andrew Walker drove in three RBI for the game, including two on a ninth-inning double to put the Musketeers in front.
- Garrett Schultz also posted three RBI for the second game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Alazaus, Brant (1-1)
L: Jonathan Todd (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Walker, Andrew 1 ; Housinger, Jack 1 ; Cushing, Jared 1
HR: McCormick, Matt 2 ; DePrey, Matthew 2
RBI: Schultz, Garrett 2 ; Walker, Andrew 2 ; Stephenson, Grant 1 ; McCormick, Matt 2 ; Hammond, Luke 1 ; Cushing, Jared 1 ; DePrey, Matthew 3 ; Hendrickson, Carter 2
SF: Walker, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Walker, Andrew 1 ; Housinger, Jack 1 ; Stephenson, Grant 1 ; McCormick, Matt 3 ; Cushing, Jared 2 ; DePrey, Matthew 3 ; Christiansen, Hayden 2 ; Hendrickson, Carter 2
CS: Schultz, Garrett 1
HBP: Hendrickson, Carter 2
Batting:
2B: Cole Jones 2
HR: Zach Ketterman 1 ; Nate Stocum 1 ; Jack Spyke 1
RBI: Zach Ketterman 1 ; Nate Stocum 1 ; Jack Spyke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zach Ketterman 1 ; Nate Stocum 1 ; Jack Spyke 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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