Hammond's Walk-Off Home Run Lifts Musketeers Past Villanova to Clinch Series Win

Xavier takes the 9-7 walk-off win over Villanova.

Hammond's Walk-Off Home Run Lifts Musketeers Past Villanova to Clinch Series Win

04.11.26 | Baseball

Musketeers go for sweep of the Wildcats on Sunday at noon

By: Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - Xavier baseball erased a 7-1 deficit to take a 9-7 win over Villanova, with Luke Hammond's two-run home run securing the win and the series victory for the Musketeers on Saturday afternoon at Hayden Field.

The Musketeers moved to 15-21 (5-3 BIG EAST) on the year, and clinched the series win at 2-0. The Wildcats dropped to 11-19 (0-5 BIG EAST).

Villanova scored in each of the the first three innings to take a 6-0 lead. A solo home run from Clay Burdette in the bottom of the third got the Musketeers on the board, cutting the lead to 6-1.

The Wildcats got the run back in the fifth to push the lead back to sixth, but a three-run bottom of the frame pulled Xavier within three, 7-4. Jorge Valdes led off the inning with a double and walks from Burdette and Josh Stonehouse loaded the bases for Jonathan Fitz. A ground ball from Fitz brought in Valdes, and Burdette and Stonehouse came home as Peter Johnson reached on an error to cap off the scoring for the inning.

In the eighth, two more Musketeer runs scored after Luke Hammond was hit by a pitch, followed by a Landon Mensik home run to cut the Nova lead to one, 7-6.

Burdette led off the ninth win a single and, after stealing second, scored on a Johnson single to tie the game at 7-7. Hammond followed Johnson's single with a two-run homer for the walk-off 9-7 win.

The Musketeers go for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon, set for a 12:00 p.m. start on XAVIER+.

AT THE PLATE

Luke Hammond finished 2-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. His two-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning was his third of the season.
Clay Burdette went 2-3 with two walks, finishing with an RBI and three runs scored. Burdette now matches Josh Stonehouse for team high with 11 home runs on the season.
Landon Mensik (1-4) finished with two RBIs and a run scored after hitting his sixth home run of the season.
Peter Johnson finished with a hit (1-5) and drove in two RBIs.
Jonathan Fitz finished with a walk and an RBI.
Jorge Valdes finished with a double (1-4) and a walk, scoring a run.
Josh Stonehouse got on with a pair of walks, scoring a run. Carter Christenson also got aboard with a walk.
Jack DeTienne scored a run, pinch running for Johnson in the ninth.

on the mound

Nick Boyle made the start, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits and a walk in 1.1 inning of work.
Evan Vasiliou entered with one on and one out in the second, allowing three runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks in 1.1 inning.
Jake Hooker came in with two on and two out in the third, allowing one run, unearned, on one hit and one walk in 2.2 innings.
Michael Murphy came in with one on and one out in the sixth, pitching 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out a pair.
Garrett Helsel entered with one out in the ninth, going the final 0.2 innings without allowing a run or a hit, striking out one. Helsel picked up the win, his second of the season.

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