Baseball Takes 8-4 Win in Series Opener with Wildcats

Friday, April 10

Cincinnati, Ohio

3:00 PM

Xavier University

14-21, 4-3

Villanova

11-18, 0-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Villanova	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	4	6	1
Xavier	2	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	X	8	14	2

Baseball Takes 8-4 Win in Series Opener with Wildcats

04.10.26 | Baseball

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Musketeers and Wildcats return to the field on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

By: Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier baseball opened up the three-game series with Villanova by taking an 8-4 win over the Wildcats on Friday afternoon at Hayden Field.

The Musketeers moved to 14-21 (4-3 BIG EAST) on the year, while the Wildcats dropped to 11-18 (0-4 BIG EAST).

Villanova took a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Musketeers responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Clay Burdette got on with double and Josh Stonehouse brought in two runs with his 11th home run of the season to make it a 2-1 Xavier advantage and the Musketeers never relinquished the lead.

Xavier made it 4-1 with another two-run frame in the second, with Tanner Thomas getting hit by a pitch and Jorge Valdes getting on with a walk. A Stonehouse single brought in Thomas, and Valdes came home on a single from Jonathan Fitz.

Clay Burdette led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run, his 10th of the season. The Musketeers added another run in the frame after Stonehouse got on with a single and Peter Johnson reached on an error to move him to second. Luke Hammond brought Stonehouse in to make it a 6-1 lead. A solo home run from Fitz in the sixth, his third of the year, made it a 7-1 lead for the Musketeers.

Villanova scored three in the seventh to cut Xavier's lead to three, 7-4. The Musketeers picked up another run in the bottom of the inning, with Carter Christenson getting on with a lead-off single, followed by walks for Tanner Thomas and Valdes to load the bases. Christenson came home on a passed ball to set the final score at 8-4.

Ryan Piech made the start on the mound for the Musketeers and limited Villanova to just one run on three hits in 6.0 innings on the way to the win. Owen Poole entered for the seventh and went the rest of the way, picking up his third save of the season in 3.0 innings of work.

The Musketeers and WIldcats return to action on Saturday afternoon, set for a 2:00 p.m. start on XAVIER+.

AT THE PLATE

Josh Stonehouse finished 3-5, driving in three RBIs and scoring a pair of runs. Stonehouse added to his team-high home run total, now at 11 for the season, with a two-run shot in the first.
Clay Burdette went 2-4 with a walk, with a double and his 10th home run of the season, He drove in an RBI and scored a pair of runs.
Jonathan Fitz (2-5) finished with two RBIs and a run scored, hitting his third home run of the season.
Jorge Valdes got aboard with a pair of walks, scoring a run.
Luke Hammond went 2-5, driving in an RBI.
Carter Christenson went 1-3 with a walk, scoring a run.
Tanner Thomas got on with a walk and finished with a run scored. JD Crisp also got aboard with a walk, one of six for the Musketeers.
Peter Johnson (2-5) and Landon Mensik (2-4) each finished with a pair of hits as the Musketeers finished with a 14-6 advantage on hits for the day.

on the mound

Ryan Piech went 6.0 innings in the start, allowing just one run on three hits, striking out seven and walking just two. He picked up the win to move ot 5-3 on the season.
Owen Poole entered for the seventh, going the final 3.0 innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits, walking two and striking out one on the way to his third save of the season.

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