Xavier Tops UConn, 5-1, Moves on to Face St. John's in Winners Bracket of BIG EAST Tournament

Thursday, May 21

Mason, Ohio

4 PM

Xavier University

28-28

UConn

32-25

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

Xavier tops UConn, 5-1, in the Musketeers' opening game of the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament.

Xavier Tops UConn, 5-1, Moves on to Face St. John's in Winners Bracket of BIG EAST Tournament

05.21.26 | Baseball

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Musketeers and Red Storm set for 9 AM start on Friday

By: Xavier Athletic Communications

MASON, Ohio - No. 3 seed Xavier baseball advanced in the winner's bracket of the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament with a 5-1 win over No. 2 seed UConn on Thursday evening at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio.

The Musketeers moved to 28-28 overall on the season, while UConn moved to 32-25.

After three scoreless innings, Jorge Valdes led off the fourth with a single, the first hit of the day for either team. Clay Burdette moved him into scoring position with a groundball, and a single from Jonathan Fitz brought Valdes in to put the Musketeers in front, 1-0.

UConn picked up a run in the fifth to tie it at 1-1. Xavier responded with four runs on four hits in the next frame. A single from Valdes and a double from Burdette put two runners in scorer position with no outs in the top of the sixth, and Valdes came home on a sac fly from Josh Stonehouse. Fitz got on with a walk to put two on for Luke Hammond, who brought in Burdette with a single. Fitz and Hammond capped off the scoring for the inning, both scoring on wild pitches to make it a 5-1 Xavier lead.

Ryan Piech went a career-long 7.2 innings in the start, allowing just one run, and Garrett Helsel pitched the final 1.1 innings, not allowing a run or a hit on the way to the 5-1 win.

Xavier moves on to face No. 1 seed St. John's on Friday, May 22, set for a 9:00 a.m. start at Prasco Park.

AT THE PLATE

Jonathan Fitz recorded a hit (1-3) and two walks, bringing in an RBI and scoring a run.
Luke Hammond went 1-3 with a walk, driving in an RBI and scoring a run
Josh Stonehouse finished with a hit (1-4) and brought in an RBI on a sac fly.
Jorge Valdes finished 2-4 with a walk, scoring two runs.
Clay Burdette finished with a hit (1-4) and a walk, scoring a run.
Tanner Thomas recorded a hit (1-4) and Landon Mensik got on with a walk.

on the mound

Ryan Piech made the start, going a career-long 7.2 innings, allowing just one run on four hits, striking out nine and issuing three walks. Piech picked up the win, his eighth of the season.
Garrett Helsel entered with one on and two outs in the eighth, facing the minimum for the final 1.1 innings, striking out a pair.

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