Courtesy of GoXavier.com
ABERDEEN, Md. – Xavier baseball continued to win in dramatic fashion on Thursday, getting a walk-off single from Dan Rizzie in a 9-8 win during the opening game of the 2016 BIG EAST Championships at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
With the result, Xavier moves into the winner’s bracket and improves to 28-28 overall. The Musketeers have now won 14 of their last 16 games.
St. John’s dropped to 27-25-1 overall with the result.
It was a wild game, featuring three tie scores and a total of seven lead changes. The last lead change happened in the ninth, as Rizzie battled BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Thomas Hackimer and came away the winner with a single through the left side. Hackimer had allowed just four earned runs all season and XU was able to score twice against the St. John’s senior tonight.
Continuing a trend, the Musketeers have now won by scoring in their last at-bat in four of their past seven games. That includes three walk-offs (two by Joe Gellenbeck and one by Rizzie).
XU AT THE PLATE
· Xavier recorded 16 hits, its second-highest total of the season, and scored nine runs for the second straight game. The Musketeers offense has been firing on all cyclinders, plating 33 runs over the past three games.
· Every player in the lineup had a hit and seven players had multi-hit games for the Musketeers, includingRylan Bannon (2-for-6), Dan Rizzie (2-for-5, 2 R, RBI), Joe Gellenbeck (2-for-5, R), Andre Jernigan (2-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI), Nate Soria (2-for-5, R), Chris Givin (2-for-4, R) and David Morton (2-for-4, 2 RBI).
· Will LaRue (1-for-4, R) and Matt Fallon (1-for-3, 2 R) also added hits for Xavier.
· Jernigan now leads Xavier and the BIG EAST with 13 homers on the season. With the blast, he moved into a tie for fourth all-time in XU single season history.
· Rizzie has now reached base in a team-best 18 straight games. He also leads Xavier with 21 multi-hit games.
XU ON THE MOUND
· XU starter Zac Lowther labored, throwing over 100 pitches in 4.1 innings and leaving with five earned runs charged. It was the first time all season (15 starts) Lowther failed to reached the five-inning mark.
· Trey Schramm (2 IP, 1 ER, 1 K) and Garrett Schilling (2.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 K) combined to close out the game for XU.
· Schilling now has the win or the save in nine of Xavier’s last 15 games (five saves, four wins).
· Despite blowing a lead in the seventh, Xavier’s bullpen continued to be strong and allowed just two earned runs in 4.2 innings. Over the last 17 games, Xavier’s relief corps have recorded a 2.28 ERA during 67.1 innings of work.
HOW XU SCORED
FIRST INNING: Dan Rizzie singled to center with one out and came around to score on a long homer to left by Andre Jernigan.
SECOND INNING: Chris Givin singled through the right side, stealing second and advancing to third on a fly out by Will LaRue. Batting next, David Morton doubled to left center to plate Givin and make it 3-2.
FOURTH INNING: After St. John’s tied it in their half, Nate Soria and Chris Givin led off the frame with back-to-back singles.
SIXTH INNING: Will LaRue got things started with a single up the middle, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by David Morton. After Matt Fallon walked and Rylan Bannon flew out, Dan Rizzie worked a walk to load the bases for Joe Gellenbeck. The lefty drilled a ball to deep center, which popped off the center fielder’s glove to allow all three Musketeers to score and make it a 7-5 lead.
EIGHTH INNING: Rylan Bannon worked a full count and singled through the left side off Hackimer to open the eighth. After a fielder’s choice, Joe Gellenbeck followed with a base hit through the right side to put runners on the corners with one out. Batting next, Andre Jernigan singled up the middle to even the score at 8-8. The go-ahead run was on its way home on the next play, but Jernigan was called out on interference at second – by rule, bringing Gellenbeck back to third while putting Nate Soria on first. Chris Givin then flied out to left, ending the threat.
NINTH INNING: After two strikeouts to open the frame, Matt Fallon jump-started a rally with a two out walk. Rylan Bannon came up next and scorched a ground-rule double down the left field line, forcing Fallon to hold up at third. Dan Rizzie followed with a single through the left side, getting Fallon home and giving XU the 9-8 win.
UP NEXT
· Xavier awaits the result of tonight’s late game between No. 2 seed Creighton and No. 3 seed Seton Hall. The Musketeers will play the winner on Friday, May 27 at 7 p.m. at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
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