'We win close games.' Xavier beats UConn in 11-inning, 2-day Big East Tournament thriller

MASON, Ohio − Worth the wait.

Eighteen hours after Xavier's first-round Big East Tournament matchup against No. 1 UConn was suspended for rain and lightning, the Musketeers found a way to advance past the top-seeded Huskies, 3-2, Thursday afternoon at Prasco Park.

"We win close games. We thrive in those situations," Xavier head coach Billy O'Conner said. "I have all the confidence in the world that we're gonna find a way to get it done."

It was only fitting Xavier got it done with a slew of big-time performances from up and down the roster. Senior infielder Jared Cushing, Xavier's only first-team All-Big East selection, had the biggest blast, belting a solo home run to lead off the top of the 11th inning that proved to be the game-winner.

"The resiliency and adversity we've overcome this year, the adversity we overcame today − I'm incredibly proud of the way our guys competed. It's awesome," O'Conner said.

Hughes delivers in the clutch

Before Cushing's go-ahead solo shot, O'Conner and company had to get out of a dangerous ninth inning after UConn third baseman Luke Broadhurst laced a lead-off triple to right field. With no outs and the winning run 90 feet away, Jake Lambdin induced a popout for the first out.

Xavier junior left-hander Nolan Hughes was next out of the bullpen and got out of trouble with a pair of strikeouts. Hughes worked around a lead-off walk in the 10th with an inning-ending double play. In the final frame, Hughes issued a pair of two-out free passes before getting Maddix Dalena to strike out swinging to end it.

"No room for error. This is what you train for," Hughes said of the ninth inning. "This is what I signed up for, this is why I play baseball."

The ninth-inning chess match had O'Conner pulling several different strings to somehow get three outs unscathed. Xavier played with five infielders, sent Lambdin back to his former position at shortstop, issued an intentional walk and lost its designated hitter in extra innings of the biggest game of the season.

"I'm not the best coach in the world and I have a lot of flaws," O'Conner said. "One of the things I try to be good at is next play and damage control. Whatever happens, happens. We gotta find a way to get out of this.

"You can do everything you want as a coach to set them up in the right spots, but they have to go do it."

Vera sets the table for Musketeers

Making just his second start of the season, Xavier senior left-hander Alex Vera turned in five innings of three-hit, two-run ball before the game was delayed and ultimately suspended on Wednesday.

"He (Vera) has been throwing the ball well for us over the past month or so," O'Conner said. "We felt good about him pounding the zone and throwing strikes. He did a good job of holding them at bay."

After Vera, right-hander Jonathan Kelly tossed three shutout innings of relief, permitting just two hits and striking out three. Xavier, maligned heading into the tournament with the No. 6 team ERA in the Big East (6.33), got six shutout innings from its bullpen.

"I wouldn't say our pitching is a downfall at all," Hughes said. "Our offense is really good; our defense is really good. That's what makes us a really good team. We work so hard every single day to bring the best out of us for big moments like this."

Xavier draws first blood

Xavier opened the scoring in Wednesday's portion of the first-round thriller when Carter Hendrickson's RBI single to left field gave the Musketeers a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Indian Hill product Luke Hammond followed with a sacrifice fly to give Xavier a 2-0 edge.

UConn answered back in the fifth inning when designed hitter Tyler Minick launched a two-run homer to right field prior to the weather delay.

Xavier faces St. John's Thursday night

Now in the winner's bracket, Xavier faces No. 2 St. John's in the Big East Tournament semifinals Thursday night. The victor automatically advances to Saturday's championship game while the loser will be back in Prasco Park Friday to face either No. 1 UConn or No. 3 Georgetown in an elimination game.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Big East Tournament: Xavier tops No. 1 UConn in 11-inning thriller