Conor Grammes from Xavier went 2-for-6 with two RBI against Creighton.
No. 3 Xavier Advances To #BIGEASTbase Title Game For Third Time In Four Years With 7-6 Win Over No. 1 Seed Creighton
Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. – For the second year in a row, Xavier avoided the elimination rounds of the BIG EAST Baseball Championship Presented by Jeep, holding on to a 7-6 victory over top-seed Creighton at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on Friday night. The Musketeers will have a rest day before playing either St. John’s or Creighton in the title game on Sunday.
Creighton (24-24) and St. John’s (41-10) will meet in Saturday’s elimination game also for the second consecutive year.
A five-run fifth inning rally helped Xavier (31-25) take the lead after a scoreless second, third and fourth innings by both teams. The Musketeers scored a run in the top of the seventh to take a 7-2 lead, which would be the difference after Creighton answered with a run in the sixth and three in the seventh.
Xavier reliever Trey Schramm earned his second save of the year as he pitched 2.2 innings and allowed one hit with no runs in 32 pitches to hold the Musketeer lead. With the game-tying run at second base, Schramm pitched to two high popup outs in Creighton’s final at bat.
Coming off a 13-3 victory over the No. 2 seed and nationally ranked Red Storm on Thursday, Xavier scored early taking a quick 1-0 lead, scoring in its first at bat. BIG EAST Player of the Year Rylan Bannon knocked in a run by shortstop Chris Givin with a sac fly to right field. Givin (2-for-4, two runs, one RBI) had a leadoff single to right field to start the inning. Conor Grammes (2-for-6, tone run, two RBI) had doubled on his at bat to send Givin to third.
In the bottom of the inning, Creighton catcher Michael Emodi hit his first of two homers in the game, scoring Isaac Collins to take a 2-1 Bluejay lead.
The Xavier bats came out swinging in the fifth, reminiscent of Thursday’s eighth-inning against St. John’s as Grammes homered to left center, scoring Givin. Bannon scored on a Will LaRue double to right field and Mitch Gallagher knocked in two with a double.
Emodi homered again in the bottom of the sixth for the Bluejays, cutting the Xavier lead to 6-3.
In the seventh inning, Xavier scored what would later be an insurance run as Givin singled to left field and scored catcher Nate Soria.
Creighton rallied with three runs in the home at bat, finishing the game for Xavier starter Garrett Schilling who lasted 6.1 innings, 89 pitches. Schramm came in and got the final two outs of the inning, leaving the game-tying run stranded on first base.
Xavier has made it to the title game in all three years the Musketeers have qualified for the tournament. The Musketeers are the two-time and current defending champions (2016, 2014). Xavier is 8-1 in BIG EAST tournament play.