With a 7-5 win over Washington late Sunday in Nashville, Xavier’s baseball team clinched a spot in an NCAA tournament regional championship for the first time in program history.

The Musketeers (32-29) face UC Santa Barbara at 3 p.m. Monday at Hawkins Field. The outing will be aired on ESPN3.

Because Xavier lost to UCSB (39-18-1) Sunday in the winner’s bracket, it must win two games against the Gauchos in the Nashville Regional to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals for a match-up with Louisville.

Against Washington, XU scored seven runs in the first three innings and held on for the victory. More from Xavier:

XU AT THE PLATE

· Xavier had six more hits (11-5) than Washington and left three more runners on base (10-7). The Musketeers have now recorded 10 or more hits in seven of their last eight outings.

· Rylan Bannon was one of four Musketeers with two or more hits on the day. He finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs.

· Bannon hit his first career leadoff home run in the first inning. The sophomore has hit three home runs in his last four games, bringing his season total to eight. 

· Bannon has five extra-base hits in three NCAA Tournament games (2 HR, 3 2B) and extended his hit streak to 13 games in the win. The third baseman is now 9-for-28 (.321) with three home runs, five doubles, 11 RBI and 23 total bases in his last five games.

· Andre Jernigan’s solo home run in the first inning was his 14th of the season, moving him into a tie for third in the XU single-season record books with Matt Watson (1999).

· Three Xavier players extended significant on-base streaks in the win. Jernigan has reached base safely in 18 games, while Bannon and Joe Gellenbeck extended their streaks to 16 and 14, respectively. 

XU ON THE MOUND

· Starter Matt Kent went 2.2 innings, allowing one hit and two runs while walking four batters. The freshman pitcher also recorded three strikeouts. 

· Trey Schramm (4-0) entered the game in relief of Kent and inherited a bases loaded situation with a 2-0 count on Washington’s MJ Hubb. The freshman got the Musketeers out of the jam as Hubb flied out to deep center field. Schramm went 4 innings, surrendering four hits and three runs. He also walked two batters.

· Taylor Williams threw 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, tossing three strikeouts. The freshman RHP also walked one batter.

· Garrett Schilling set the school record in saves with his team-leading 14th save of the year. He surpassed Jordan Conley, who had 13 in 2009. He had two strikeouts in the win.

· XU’s bullpen posted 6.1 innings, allowing three earned runs. In NCAA play, XU’s bullpen has now thrown 14 total innings and allowed just three runs (1.93 ERA, 7 H, 7 K).

· Prior to the fourth inning, the Musketeer relief corps had not allowed a run in eight innings to begin NCAA tournament play.

· Over Xavier’s last 22 games, the relievers have been outstanding. XU’s ‘pen has logged 90.2 innings during that stretch, allowing just 23 earned runs (2.29 ERA).

HOW XU SCORED
FIRST INNING: Bannon’s leadoff home run gave the Musketeers an early 1-0 advantage. Jernigan made the score 2-0 later in the frame with a two-out homer to left center.
SECOND INNING: The Musketeers scored four runs with two outs in the frame. A Bannon two RBI double scored the first two runs before back-to-back RBI singles by Daniel Rizzie and Gellenbeck plated the final two runs. 
THIRD INNING: A David Morton RBI single to left center scored Will LaRue. LaRue reached base via a walk before stealing second base – his 31st stolen base of the year.