Courtesy of GoXavier.com
OMAHA, Neb. – Zac Lowther was dominant on the mound, striking out nine in seven innings as Xavier pounded out 17 hits, blowing past No. 2 seeded St. John’s 13-3 in the first game of the 2017 BIG EAST Championships on Thursday at TD Ameritrade Park.
The Musketeers moved to 30-25 overall with a fifth straight win, reaching the 30-win plateau for the sixth time under head coach Scott Googins.
XU, which blew open a tight game with an eight-run ninth inning, has now scored 56 runs in its last five games.
NEXT UP
• The Musketeers continue BIG EAST Championships action on Friday, facing the winner of tonight’sgame between No. 1 Creighton and No. 4 Seton Hall at 7:30 p.m. ET.
• The game will be broadcast live on the BIG EAST Digital Network.
• The game will be broadcast live on the BIG EAST Digital Network.
XU AT THE PLATE
• Xavier scored runs on three sacrifice flies, tying a TD Ameritrade Park record.
• Joe Gellenbeck left the yard in the game, giving XU home runs in 10 of its last 11 games.
• Chris Givin (3-for-5, 3R, RBI) doubled twice and singled in a run in the ninth, extending his hitting streak to a team-best 13 straight games.
• Conor Grammes went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI and has now reached base in 12 straight games.
• Rylan Bannon (1-for-4, R, RBI) hit a ball off the wall in center, reaching the 408-foot mark, as part of the ninth inning rally.
• Joe Gellenbeck (2-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI) continued to swing a hot bat, swatting a solo homer in the eighth inning.
• Will LaRue (3-for-4, R, RBI)
• Ethan Schmidt (3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI) had a huge game, clearing the bases in the ninth inning with a deep triple to the gap in right center.
• Mitch Gallagher (1-for-3, R) also collected a hit for XU.
• Joe Gellenbeck left the yard in the game, giving XU home runs in 10 of its last 11 games.
• Chris Givin (3-for-5, 3R, RBI) doubled twice and singled in a run in the ninth, extending his hitting streak to a team-best 13 straight games.
• Conor Grammes went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI and has now reached base in 12 straight games.
• Rylan Bannon (1-for-4, R, RBI) hit a ball off the wall in center, reaching the 408-foot mark, as part of the ninth inning rally.
• Joe Gellenbeck (2-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI) continued to swing a hot bat, swatting a solo homer in the eighth inning.
• Will LaRue (3-for-4, R, RBI)
• Ethan Schmidt (3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI) had a huge game, clearing the bases in the ninth inning with a deep triple to the gap in right center.
• Mitch Gallagher (1-for-3, R) also collected a hit for XU.
XU ON THE MOUND
• Zac Lowther (5-4) dominated all afternoon, going seven innings and allowing just one unearned run. The junior lefty struck out nine, scattering four hits while throwing 118 pitches.
• With his first two strikeouts of the game, Lowther tied and surpassed XU’s single season strikeout record with his 107th and 108th punch outs of the year. The record was previously held by XU Hall of Famer Lou Witte, who fanned 107 batters in 1997.
• Lowther finished the game with 115 strikeouts for the season.
• Lowther is now up to 241 strikeouts in his XU career, moving him into fourth-place in the XU record book for his career.
• Matt Kent pitched the eighth, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out one. The runs snapped a 16.2 inning stretch without allowing an earned run for the sophomore.
• Taylor Williams closed things out in the ninth, working around two walks to post a scoreless inning.
• With his first two strikeouts of the game, Lowther tied and surpassed XU’s single season strikeout record with his 107th and 108th punch outs of the year. The record was previously held by XU Hall of Famer Lou Witte, who fanned 107 batters in 1997.
• Lowther finished the game with 115 strikeouts for the season.
• Lowther is now up to 241 strikeouts in his XU career, moving him into fourth-place in the XU record book for his career.
• Matt Kent pitched the eighth, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out one. The runs snapped a 16.2 inning stretch without allowing an earned run for the sophomore.
• Taylor Williams closed things out in the ninth, working around two walks to post a scoreless inning.
HOW XU SCORED
FIRST INNING: Chris Givin doubled to right center to lead off the game, going to third on an infield hit by Conor Grammes. After a Rylan Bannon walk, XU got sacrifice flies from Joe Gellenbeck and Will LaRue to jump out to a 2-0 lead.
FIFTH INNING: A one out double to left center by Chris Givin turned into three bases when the St. John’s center fielder bobbled the ball in the gap. Conor Grammes followed with a single to the shortstop, giving XU a 3-0 lead.
SEVENTH INNING: Ethan Schmidt led off with a single to center, moving to second on a stolen base and then to third on a bunt by Chris Givin. Conor Grammes batted next and scored him with a sacrifice fly to center, making it a 4-1 game.
EIGHTH INNING: Joe Gellenbeck smacked a solo shot over the 375-foot marker in right center for a solo homer, giving XU a 5-1 lead.
NINTH INNING: After St. John’s rallied to make it a 5-3 game in the eighth, XU came right back with a big inning. Conor Grammes led off with his fourth hit of the game, singling to right and going to second on a wild pitch. After a Rylan Bannon walk, Joe Gellenbeck singled on a low-liner to center to score Grammes. Will LaRue followed with a perfect bunt, reaching and drawing a throwing error on the play at first. The wide throw shot into right field, allowing Bannon to cross. Mitch Gallagher and Matt Fallon then drew walks to plate another run to make it 8-3. Ethan Schmidt followed with a bases-clearing triple to right center, bringing three more around. Batting next, Chris Givin singled in Schmidt and Rylan Bannon capped the scoring with an RBI double off the wall in center.
FIFTH INNING: A one out double to left center by Chris Givin turned into three bases when the St. John’s center fielder bobbled the ball in the gap. Conor Grammes followed with a single to the shortstop, giving XU a 3-0 lead.
SEVENTH INNING: Ethan Schmidt led off with a single to center, moving to second on a stolen base and then to third on a bunt by Chris Givin. Conor Grammes batted next and scored him with a sacrifice fly to center, making it a 4-1 game.
EIGHTH INNING: Joe Gellenbeck smacked a solo shot over the 375-foot marker in right center for a solo homer, giving XU a 5-1 lead.
NINTH INNING: After St. John’s rallied to make it a 5-3 game in the eighth, XU came right back with a big inning. Conor Grammes led off with his fourth hit of the game, singling to right and going to second on a wild pitch. After a Rylan Bannon walk, Joe Gellenbeck singled on a low-liner to center to score Grammes. Will LaRue followed with a perfect bunt, reaching and drawing a throwing error on the play at first. The wide throw shot into right field, allowing Bannon to cross. Mitch Gallagher and Matt Fallon then drew walks to plate another run to make it 8-3. Ethan Schmidt followed with a bases-clearing triple to right center, bringing three more around. Batting next, Chris Givin singled in Schmidt and Rylan Bannon capped the scoring with an RBI double off the wall in center.
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