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MASON − Near the end of the regular season, Xavier head baseball coach Billy O’Conner praised the adversity the Musketeers have had to overcome this season.
A “battle-tested” team that faced one of the nation’s toughest schedules, Xavier climbed another mountain in Wednesday’s Big East Tournament opener, rallying from deficits of 6-0 and 8-4 to beat the No. 2 seed UConn Huskies, 11-8, at Prasco Park.
“Just the ultimate team win. I’m so proud of our guys for competing,” O’Conner said. “When the situation arises in the postseason, and it feels like a must-win game, guys are prepared for it emotionally, physically and in every sense of the word because of what we’ve been through all year.
“Whatever comes our way we’re ready for it. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it allows you to respond in the way that we did.”
The two teams combined to average 14.6 runs per game during its three-game series at Hayden Field in March (Xavier took two of three) and the two squads mirrored that high-scoring output in the postseason with a combined 19 runs and 24 hits.
Xavier rallies with pinch hitters, timely 2-out knocks
Trailing 6-0, Jake Lambdin’s lead-off home run in the top of the third jumpstarted Xavier’s offense against UConn left-hander Oliver Pudfar. The Musketeers cut the Huskies lead in half when Connor Misch ripped a two-run double to left field and Aedan Anderson followed with a fielder’s choice that made it 6-4.
Xavier got a big boost off the bench, starting with backup infielder Donovan Canterberry’s pinch-hit RBI single in the fifth. Luke Hammond led off the eighth with a homer to make it 8-6.
Down to its last out in the ninth inning, pinch-hitter Hayden Christensen ripped a two-run single to center off of UConn reliever Brady Afthim to force extra innings.
Xavier Musketeers breakthrough in extras
Lambdin led off the 10th inning with a double off of UConn right-hander. He came around to give Xavier its first lead of the night on Misch’s two-out RBI single to center.
Moeller product Clay Burdette, who began his night with three strikeouts and a double play, provided some much-needed insurance with his team-high 12th homer of the year.
Xavier designated hitter Isaac Wachsmann led the Musketeers with a game-high four hits.
Xavier right-hander Jake Hooker, who stranded the winning UConn run on third in the ninth inning, worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the frame to give the Musketeers their biggest win of the season.
UConn jumps on Xavier starting pitcher Ben Weber early
Ben Weber, one of three Xavier starting pitchers to be named second-team all-Big East, had been one of O’Conner’s most consistent hurlers, posting a 6-3 record and a 3.56 ERA over 17 appearances (11 starts) during the regular season.
Weber, who tied a season-high with 11 hits allowed (five runs) in a winning effort against UConn March 29, immediately ran into trouble in his second go-round with the Big East’s highest-scoring offense.
Xavier’s lone error of the night helped spark UConn’s icebreaking bottom of the first inning. Sophomore infielder Tyler Minick launched a three-run home run to right center field to start the scoring.
One inning later, the Huskies made a pair of two-out free passes sting when outfielder Caleb Shpur hit a three-run bomb of his own to center field.
UConn scratched across runs in the third and fourth inning to end Weber’s night.
Xavier’s bullpen of Joseph Chavana, Luke Hoskins and Hooker combined to toss 6 ⅓ innings of scoreless relief.
Xavier faces Creighton for spot in Big East Tournament Championship
Xavier advances to play top-seeded Creighton, which split the Big East’s regular season title with UConn, on Thursday, May 22 (6:30 p.m.). The winner will secure a spot in Saturday’s Championship.
Creighton survived a late St. John’s rally for a 10-8 win in the first round.
The Bluejays took two of three from the Musketeers in Omaha earlier this month.
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