Xavier finishes off weekend sweep of Butler with 3-2 win at Hayden Field

CINCINNATI – Senior Greg Jacknewitz turned in seven superlative innings, helping Xavier baseball close out a BIG EAST series sweep of Butler, 3-2, at Hayden Field on Sunday afternoon.

Matt Kent saved his second game of the year with two scoreless innings of relief while Blaine Griffiths dropped in the game-winning hit for XU in the seventh inning.

Xavier improved to 24-17 overall and 6-3 in BIG EAST play, while the Bulldogs fell to 23-16 overall and 2-7 in BIG EAST play.

With three straight wins, XU sweeps Butler for the second straight year.

XU AT THE PLATE
• The Musketeers have homered in three straight games and in nine of the last 10 games.
• Rylan Bannon (1-for-2, RBI) continued his strong weekend and now has seven hits in his last eight at bats.
• With another hit today, Bannon extended his team-best hitting streak to seven games and has also reached in 16 straight.
• Bannon finished his birthday weekend 8-for-11 (.727) overall, scoring five runs and hitting two homers while driving in another six runs.
• Mitch Gallagher led the team with a 2-for-4 day, hitting his eighth double of the season.
• Blaine Griffiths went 1-for-3 on the day and drove in the game-winning run.
• Griffiths had a hit in all three games this weekend, finishing the series 6-for-11 (.545) with three runs scored and four RBI.
• Nate Soria blasted his fifth homer of the year on his way to a 1-for-3 day.

XU ON THE MOUND
• Greg Jacknewitz (3-2) turned in another stellar performance, earning the win. Jacknewitz struck out five in seven innings of work, only allowing three hits.
• The senior lefty has now lowered his ERA in six straight outings and ended the day with a 3.14 mark.
• In BIG EAST play, Jacknewitz has stood out with a 2-0 record and a 1.56 ERA. The senior has tossed 17.1 innings, striking out 11 and allowing just 11 hits.
• Matt Kent came on to close it out, allowing only one hit and striking out two over two scoreless frames. The sophomore picked up his second save of the season and lowered his ERA to a glittering 1.50.
• Kent has yet to allow a run in conference action, covering three appearances and 5.2 innings.
• As a team, Xavier sports a 2.82 ERA in league play. The Musketeers have piled up 87 strikeouts in 79.2 BIG EAST innings.

HOW XU SCORED

FIRST INNING: Mitch Gallagher started things off with a lead-off single through the left side and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Joe Gellenbeck then grounded out, advancing Gallagher to third. A sacrifice fly by Rylan Bannon scored Gallagher, making it 1-0.
SECOND INNING: Nate Soria blasted a solo-homer over the wall in left center to give XU a 2-0 lead.
SEVENTH INNING: Rylan Bannon hit a lead-off single then stole his 11th base of the year. Chris Givin followed with a fly out to center, moving Bannon over to third. Batting next, Griffiths connected on a low-liner to center that just escaped the Bulldogs’ center fielder to make it a 3-2 ball game.

NEXT UP
• Xavier travels down to Lexington, Ky. on Wednesday to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
• Catch the game on the SEC Network or WATCH ESPN app.