Xavier University Athletics
Friday, February 13
Greenville, N.C.
4:00 PM
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Baseball Takes Opening Day Win at ECU
02.13.26 | Baseball
The Musketeers and Pirates will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 12:30 p.m.
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The Xavier baseball team fought out a 4-3 win over ECU on opening day. The Musketeers start the season 1-0 for the first time since 2021 while handing the Pirates their second consecutive opening day loss.
Freshman Josh Stonehouse singled to right field for the first hit of the 2026 season. Landon Mensik followed up with a home run to right field to bring home two runs and put the Musketeers up early.
Ryan Piech struck out two batters in the first and retired all three for a perfect first inning in his opening day start.
ECU threatened in the second with a lead off double that led to loaded bases for Piech, but the Musketeers stranded all three Pirates on base.
Jonathan Fitz singled in the top of the fifth for the Musketeers' first hit since the opening frame but was left stranded after the Pirates retired the next two batters.
The Pirates hit back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fifth to bring in their first run of the night.
JD Crisp hit a lead off single in the sixth inning and Stonehouse recorded his second hit of the night to put two runners on base but ECU once again stranded the Musketeer runners.
The Pirates added the tying run in the bottom of the sixth after two errors by the Musketeers, but Karter Muck retired the final two batters of the inning and recorded his first strikeout of the night.
The Musketeers loaded the bases in the seventh led by a Tommy Townsend single to center field but were once again unable to bring a runner home.
XU struck again in the eighth after Landon Mensik singled through the left side and Tanner Thomas' sacrifice bunt put two runners into scoring position on second and third. Peter Johnson grounded out to bring home the go ahead run and Landon Mensik scored right after to take a 4-2 lead.
ECU hit a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the ninth and loaded the bases soon after, but Owen Poole stepped up to the mound with two outs to go and struck out the final batter of the night.
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Freshman Josh Stonehouse singled to right field for the first hit of the 2026 season. Landon Mensik followed up with a home run to right field to bring home two runs and put the Musketeers up early.
Ryan Piech struck out two batters in the first and retired all three for a perfect first inning in his opening day start.
ECU threatened in the second with a lead off double that led to loaded bases for Piech, but the Musketeers stranded all three Pirates on base.
Jonathan Fitz singled in the top of the fifth for the Musketeers' first hit since the opening frame but was left stranded after the Pirates retired the next two batters.
The Pirates hit back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the fifth to bring in their first run of the night.
JD Crisp hit a lead off single in the sixth inning and Stonehouse recorded his second hit of the night to put two runners on base but ECU once again stranded the Musketeer runners.
The Pirates added the tying run in the bottom of the sixth after two errors by the Musketeers, but Karter Muck retired the final two batters of the inning and recorded his first strikeout of the night.
The Musketeers loaded the bases in the seventh led by a Tommy Townsend single to center field but were once again unable to bring a runner home.
XU struck again in the eighth after Landon Mensik singled through the left side and Tanner Thomas' sacrifice bunt put two runners into scoring position on second and third. Peter Johnson grounded out to bring home the go ahead run and Landon Mensik scored right after to take a 4-2 lead.
ECU hit a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the ninth and loaded the bases soon after, but Owen Poole stepped up to the mound with two outs to go and struck out the final batter of the night.
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at the plate
- Landon Mensik hit the two-run homer in the first and ended his night with two runs and two runs scored.
- Peter Johnson had one hit and grounded out for the go-ahead RBI in the eighth.
- Josh Stonehouse was 2-for-3 at the plate in his first collegiate appearance.
- Jonathan Fitz was also 2-for-3 and drew two walks.
on the mound
- Ryan Piech earned the opening day start for the Musketeers, striking out two and only allowing two hits in his four innings.
- Karter Muck struck out three with one earned run in his first Xavier appearance.
- Owen Poole slammed the door on the Pirates as he pitched the final two outs and ended with a bases load strikeout.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Muck, Karter (1-0)
L: Webb, Joseph (0-1)
S: Poole, Owen (1)
Batting:
HR: Mensik, Landon 1
RBI: Johnson, Peter 1 ; Mensik, Landon 2
SH: Thomas, Tanner 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stonehouse, Josh 2 ; Mensik, Landon 2
SB: Crisp, JD 1
HBP: Peters, Eddie 1 ; Stonehouse, Josh 1 ; Mensik, Landon 1
Batting:
2B: Sabater, Jeff 1 ; Irby, Austin 1 ; Burress, Braden 1 ; Herring, Jack 1
HR: Herring, Jack 1
RBI: Herring, Jack 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Lenahan, Grayden 1 ; Burress, Braden 1 ; Herring, Jack 1
HBP: Sabater, Jeff 2 ; Jacome, Carlos 1 ; Lenahan, Grayden 1 ; Vogele, Jack 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
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H
2
RBI
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AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
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