Hook C Weekend Preview: Xavier

Xavier by the Numbers

Record: 12-13

Streak: W4

RPI: 2

Stadium: Hayden Field

Capacity: 500

All-Time vs UConn: 9-13

Last Meeting: 2024 Big East Tournament (Xavier 3-2 11 innings)

Projected Starters:

Friday: 

• Xavier: Ryan Piech (1-1 5.67 ERA)
• UConn: Oliver Pudvar (3-0 2.57 ERA)

Saturday:

• Xavier: Luke Hoskins (2-0 4.91 ERA)
• UConn: Cayden Suchy (2-3 5.70 ERA)

Sunday:

• Xavier: Ben Weber (2-2 2.91 ERA)
• UConn: Tommy Ellisen (1-2 6.10 ERA)

Each of these teams have played a difficult early season schedule, leading to a 2^nd rated RPI for the Musketeers, and 45 figure for the Huskies, despite having losing records. Xavier has the toughest strength of schedule so far, having played series against Stanford, Tennessee, and an opening weekend with two games against Oregon State with Indiana and UNLV sandwiched between. They’ve played an astounding 16 Quad 1 games, with a 5-11 record in those contests. They’re 1-0 in Quad 2, 3-2 in Quad 3, and 3-0 against Quad 4. They’ve played just three games at home, a sweep this past weekend against Ball State. 

UConn has the 34^th toughest strength of schedule heading into this series, with a 2-3 record in Quad 1 games, 4-6 in Quad 2, 3-2 in Quad 3, and 1-1 in Quad 4. Like Xavier, the Huskies have spent the majority of their schedule on the road, having played just two midweek home games against BC and LIU, going 1-1 in those contests. They’ll get arguably their toughest Big East series off the bat with the Musketeers, followed by Creighton in Omaha next weekend. 

Xavier’s bats have a hard time getting going this year, batting just .233, a number that is 279^th nationally out of 307 teams. SO 3B Jake Lambdin is leading the team with a .292 average. Their power comes from DH Isaac Waschmann, who has six HRs and 15 RBI, but is also batting just .152, striking out in 31.8% of his plate appearances. However, 21.4% of his batted fly balls are HRs. 

On the hill, Xavier’s starters have been roughed up a bit, which is not surprising given their schedule. Xavier is 170^th nationally with a team ERA of 6.40, and has been changing starters around like the Huskies. The Musketeers are allowing .281 batting average to opponents, and have allowed 19 unearned runs out of 168 total. Weber, a transfer from Air Force, has led the way with a 2.91 ERA and a team-high 34 innings pitched. Piech has thrown 27 innings, and Logan Schimdt 26, but they have ERAs of 5.67, and 7.62. Presumably, those numbers will smooth out now that they’re getting into Big East play.