Xavier University Athletics
Saturday, May 9
Indianapolis, Ind.
2:00 PM
Xavier University
24-27, 12-5
12
at
10
Butler
19-31, 8-9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 17 | 2 |
| Butler | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 1 |
Musketeers Hold off Bulldogs to Clinch Series Win at Butler
05.09.26 | Baseball
Xavier goes for series sweep on Sunday at 1 PM
INDIANAPOLISÂ - Xavier baseball held off an ninth-inning rally by Butler to take a 12-10 win over the Bulldogs in game two of three on Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Park.
The Musketeers improved to 24-27 (12-5 BIG EAST) and secured the series win at 2-0, while the Bulldogs moved to 19-31 (8-9 BIG EAST). The series win is Xavier's fourth in BIG EAST play. The Musketeers clinched a bid to the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio, now having earned a bid to the four-team tournament each year it's been held since 2019.
Xavier took a 1-0 lead in the first with Jorge Valdes leading off with a single, moving to second on a wild pitch and scoring on single from Luke Hammond.
The Musketeers took the one-run lead into the fourth when Butler scored three to move in front. Xavier responded with a pair of runs in the next frame to tie it up. With Donavan Canterberry and Valdes on base, Clay Burdette hit a single to bring in Canterberry and move Valdes into scoring position. After Josh Stonehouse was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Jonathan Fitz brought in Valdes with a bases loaded walk to tie the game.
After Butler scored a run to retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth, Tommy Townsend led off the sixth with a walk, and Landon Mensik brought him in with his ninth home run of the season to put Xavier back in front.
Xavier broke the game open in the seventh, scoring five runs on five five hits. Fitz and Hammond got aboard with singles and Townsend walked to load the bases. Another walk, this time for Mensik, brought in Fitz. A Tanner Thomas single drove in Hammond and JD Crisp, pinch running for Townsend. Canterberry singled to right to bring in Mensik and Burdette capped off the scoring with a single to bring in Canterberry to make it a 10-4 lead.
The Bulldogs picked up another run in the bottom of the seventh, but Xavier got the run back in the eighth with Fitz getting on with a single and eventually scoring on an error, and added another in the ninth, with Canterberry leading off with a double and scoring on a single from Valdes to give Xavier a 12-5 lead
Butler scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull within two, getting the tying run to the plate but Garrett Helsel came in from the bullpen to pick up the final out, setting the final score at 12-10.
The series with the Bulldogs wraps up on Sunday, set for a 1:00 p.m. start, streamed live on HomeTeam Network.
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The Musketeers improved to 24-27 (12-5 BIG EAST) and secured the series win at 2-0, while the Bulldogs moved to 19-31 (8-9 BIG EAST). The series win is Xavier's fourth in BIG EAST play. The Musketeers clinched a bid to the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio, now having earned a bid to the four-team tournament each year it's been held since 2019.
Xavier took a 1-0 lead in the first with Jorge Valdes leading off with a single, moving to second on a wild pitch and scoring on single from Luke Hammond.
The Musketeers took the one-run lead into the fourth when Butler scored three to move in front. Xavier responded with a pair of runs in the next frame to tie it up. With Donavan Canterberry and Valdes on base, Clay Burdette hit a single to bring in Canterberry and move Valdes into scoring position. After Josh Stonehouse was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Jonathan Fitz brought in Valdes with a bases loaded walk to tie the game.
After Butler scored a run to retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth, Tommy Townsend led off the sixth with a walk, and Landon Mensik brought him in with his ninth home run of the season to put Xavier back in front.
Xavier broke the game open in the seventh, scoring five runs on five five hits. Fitz and Hammond got aboard with singles and Townsend walked to load the bases. Another walk, this time for Mensik, brought in Fitz. A Tanner Thomas single drove in Hammond and JD Crisp, pinch running for Townsend. Canterberry singled to right to bring in Mensik and Burdette capped off the scoring with a single to bring in Canterberry to make it a 10-4 lead.
The Bulldogs picked up another run in the bottom of the seventh, but Xavier got the run back in the eighth with Fitz getting on with a single and eventually scoring on an error, and added another in the ninth, with Canterberry leading off with a double and scoring on a single from Valdes to give Xavier a 12-5 lead
Butler scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull within two, getting the tying run to the plate but Garrett Helsel came in from the bullpen to pick up the final out, setting the final score at 12-10.
The series with the Bulldogs wraps up on Sunday, set for a 1:00 p.m. start, streamed live on HomeTeam Network.
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AT THE PLATE
- Landon Mensik finished with a hit (1-4) and a walk, driving in three RBI and scoring a run. His two-run homer in the sixth was his ninth of the season.
- Clay Burdette went 3-6 at the plate, driving in two RBIs. Tanner Thomas (2-4) also drove in a pair of RBIs.
- Jonathan Fitz recorded three hits (3-5) and a walk, driving in an RBI and scoring two runs.
- Donavan Canterberry went 2-5 with a double, driving in an RBI and scoring three runs.
- Jorge Valdes finished 2-5 with a walk, driving in an RBI and scoring a pair of runs. Luke Hammond also had a pair of hits (2-5) and a walk, finishing with an RBI and a run scored.
- Tommy Townsend got on with a pair of walks, scoring a run.
- JD Crisp went 1-2 with a run scored.
- Josh Stonehouse finished with a hit, one of 17 for the Musketeers, one off Xavier's season high.
on the mound
- Ashton Chronister went 6.0 innings in the start, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out four. Chronister picked up the win, his third of the season.
- Joey Arend entered for the seventh, going 2.0 innings with one unearned run scoring on two hits before switching to the left field to start the ninth. Arend returned to the mound with two on and no outs. He finished with three runs allowed, two earned, on five hits in 2.2 innings of work total.
- Karter Muck came in for the ninth, facing three batters. He allowed three runs on one hit and one walk.
- Garrett Helsel came in with one on and two outs in the ninth, picking up the final out with a strikeout. Helsel picked up his sixth save of the season.
VIDEO
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Chronister, Ashton (3-2)
L: Jake Thomas (0-7)
S: Helsel, Garrett (6)
Batting:
2B: Canterberry, Donavan 1
HR: Mensik, Landon 1
RBI: Valdes, Jorge 1 ; Burdette, Clay 2 ; Fitz, Jonathan 1 ; Hammond, Luke 1 ; Mensik, Landon 3 ; Thomas, Tanner 2 ; Canterberry, Donavan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Valdes, Jorge 2 ; Fitz, Jonathan 2 ; Hammond, Luke 1 ; Townsend, Tommy 1 ; Crisp, JD 1 ; Mensik, Landon 2 ; Canterberry, Donavan 3
SB: Mensik, Landon 1
HBP: Stonehouse, Josh 1 ; Thomas, Tanner 1
Batting:
2B: Matthew Rhoades 1
HR: David Ayers 1
RBI: Danny Gavin 1 ; Matthew Rhoades 1 ; Gavin Gilmore 2 ; Charlie Schebler 1 ; David Ayers 3 ; Will White 1 ; Connor Sackett 1
SH: Logan Crock 1
SF: Gavin Gilmore 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Danny Gavin 2 ; Matthew Rhoades 1 ; Charlie Schebler 1 ; Logan Baker 1 ; David Ayers 1 ; Aidan Thaxton 1 ; Will Burgess 1 ; Chris Lewis 1 ; Gunnar Duncan 1
HBP: Chris Lewis 1
PO: Gavin Gilmore 1
Game Leaders
AB
6
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
cf/lf
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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