Baseball Falls in Game One Against Villanova

Thursday, May 16

Cincinnati, Ohio

3:00 PM

Xavier University

28-24, 11-8

Villanova

17-33, 7-12

Villanova

Xavier

05.16.24 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats (PDF)Photos

Game two is now set for 1:00 p.m. on Friday at Hayden Field

By: Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier baseball rallied late but fell in the series opener against Villanova, 8-5, at Hayden Field on Thursday afternoon. The Musketeers moved to 28-24 overall and 11-8 in BIG EAST play.

Game two with the Wildcats has been moved up to a 1:00 p.m. start at Hayden Field on Friday, May 17.

The Wildcats took the lead in the third with a three-run frame. The Musketeers cut the advantage back to two in the bottom half of the inning, after Luke Hammond was hit by a pitch and came around to score to cut it to 3-1. Villanova posted another three-run inning in the fourth to take a 6-1 advantage.

Alex Vera entered in the fourth, facing the minimum through the eighth to keep the Wildcats off the board. The Musketeers drove in another run in the bottom of the seventh, with Grant Stephenson leading off the bottom of the inning with a double, moving to third on a ground ball and scoring on a sac fly from Aedan Anderson to cut it to 6-2.

Xavier made it a one-run game headed into the ninth after scoring three runs on three hits in the eighth. Matt McCormick got on with a single up the middle, followed by a home run for Connor Misch to cut the lead to 6-4. After Misch cleared the bases, Carter Hendrickson got on with a walk, stole second and scored on a single from Hayden Christiansen to cut Villanova's lead to 6-5.

The Wildcats responded with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to set the final score at 8-5.

AT THE PLATE

Connor Misch (1-4) hit his eighth home run of the season, a two-run shot, to finish with a pair of RBI and a run scored.
Aedan Anderson went 1-of-4 with a double and finished with an RBI on a sac fly.
Hayden Christiansen finished with a hit in his lone at bat, driving in an RBI.
Luke Hammond (1-4) and Matt McCormick (1-4) each finished with a hit and a run scored.
Grant Stephenson went 1-of-2 with a double, scoring a run.
Carter Hendrickson finished with a pair of walks, scoring a run.
Matthew DePrey got on with a pair of walks, Isaac Wachsmann also got aboard with a walk.

ON THE MOUND

Jonathan Kelly made the start, going 3.0 innings, allowing six runs on 11 hits, finishing with one walk and one strikeout.
Alex Vera entered with one on and no outs in the fourth, facing the minimum through the eighth inning. He finished with two earned runs allowed on two hits in 6.0 innings of work, striking out three without issuing a walk.

VIDEO