By Will Pembroke, Debate & Discussion/Inside Xavier Sports Show Manager

Over the weekend, Xavier Baseball began their campaign in Tuscaloosa, Ala. taking on the Crimson Tide in a three-game series. 

Despite two of the three games being decided by one run, the Musketeers could not break the four-run threshold all weekend. Game One of the Alabama vs. Xavier series ended in a 5-4 defeat for the Musketeers. Despite leading for the entirety of the game, Xavier allowed four runs in the ninth inning. 

Graduate student Trevor Olson and junior Luke Bell allowed just three hits through the first eight innings of the game. Senior infielder Jack Housinger finished the game with three RBI’s, including a two-run homer. Senior outfielder Luke Franzoni also contributed a solo home run on the first pitch of the game.

The second game of the series, while ending in the same score of 5-4, looked quite different. After allowing a four-run second inning, Xavier’s pitching staff got things under control with only one more run allowed the remainder of the game. 

Sophomore Bobby Jones impressed with two strikeouts and only one hit allowed in two innings. On the offensive side, Xavier struggled to get the bats going until late in the game, when they scored one run in each of the last three innings. Junior outfielder Tyler Demartino hit his first home run of the season, and Housinger hitting his second in two games. Graduate student catcher Jerry Huntzinger also contributed in a major way with two stolen bases.

Game Three proved to be more of the same for Xavier, swept in the season series by Alabama after a 9-4 loss. The Crimson Tide laid it on early, scoring six runs in the first five innings, including a four-run third inning. 

Xavier struggled to find a viable option on the mound, with junior Jack Lynch ending as the lone pitcher to not surrender a single earned run. On offense, the Musketeers finished with 13 hits to Alabama’s 12, but getting runners around the bases proved challenging.

Upon returning home from Alabama, Xavier baseball took on Louisville on the road, losing 7-6 in yet another closely contested matchup.

On Monday, Xavier once again struggled on the mound late, allowing six runs in the seventh inning. 

Xavier secured their season-high run total of six runs but fell late 7-6 on the road at Louisville. 

Franzoni hit his second home run of the season. Senior outfielder Andrew Walker stole a base and also contributed two RBI’s. Junior infielder Jared Cushing also knocked in two runs with both coming on a two-run home run in the seventh inning.. 

Coming up, Xavier baseball will travel to Surprise, Ariz. to take on  the Oregon State Beavers in a three-game series that starts today and ends Saturday.  Each game in the series will take place at 3:00 eastern.