MASON, Ohio – No. 3 seed Xavier poured on four runs in the sixth inning to storm past No. 2 seed UConn, 5-1, in the second game of Thursday’s BIG EAST Championship Presented by Jeep at Prasco Park.
 
Junior right-handed pitcher Ryan Piech was dominant on the mound for Xavier, pitching 7.2 innings with nine strikeouts. Throwing 117 pitches, he allowed just four hits and one run in the triumph.
 
After three innings without a hit for either team, Xavier’s offense got things going in the top of the fourth when junior catcher Jonathan Fitz singled through the right side to send sophomore center fielder Jorge Valdes home for the first tally of the game.
 
UConn evened the tally at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore catcher Gabriel Tirado smacked an RBI double to right field, as sophomore second baseman Peyton Jemison rounded home.
 
In the top of the sixth inning, Xavier got things started quickly with a single by Valdes, followed by a double down the left field line by junior right fielder Clay Burdette. Freshman left fielder Josh Stonehouse collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly to allow Valdes to push the lead to 2-1. After Fitz collected a walk, senior third baseman Luke Hammond singled to right center to send Burdette home for a 3-1 advantage.
 
The scoring continued when Hammond and Fitz advanced on a wild pitch, the first of three consecutive wild pitches that resulted in two runs for the Musketeers.
 
The Musketeers will return to Prasco Park on Friday at a time to be determined in the BIG EAST semifinal against No. 1 seed St. John’s.
 
The Huskies will be back in action Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET in an elimination game against No. 4 seed Creighton.