Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Duquesne
Five-Run Fifth Keeps Xavier Perfect at Home
04.15.07 | Baseball
April 15, 2007
CINCINNATI - On a brisk day at Hayden Field, Xavier used a five-run fifth inning to get past visiting Duquesne, 9-3, in the final game of the Atlantic 10 series. The win moved the Musketeers to a perfect 9-0 at home and also marked the third time this season that XU has swept a conference opponent. Xavier now stands at 15-20 overall and 10-2 in conference action, while the Dukes fall to 13-18 on the season and 4-8 in the A-10.
After Duquesne pulled within a run in the top of the fifth, the XU offense emerged to put up five runs on four hits to put the game out of reach. Senior Matt Waskerwitz got the inning started with a double to the right center gap. With one out, Steve Brown followed with another double to the right center gap to score Waskerwitz and leave himself in scoring position. In the next at-bat, senior Jordan Wolf drove the first pitch he saw to dead centerfield to earn his team-leading sixth homerun of the season and give Xavier the 5-2 advantage. The inning did not stop there as Sean Farrell drew a one-out walk and later scored on Robbie Kelley's second homerun of the season to deep left field.
Xavier would tack on two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings to continue to put the game out of reach for the visiting Dukes.
The Musketeers got on the board first as Adam Lipski sent a shot over the right field fence for his third homerun of the season in the bottom of the second. Lipski also keyed the second run of the game for the Musketeers. With Farrell starting the inning with a single to center, Lipski laid down a perfect bunt to the third baseman and allowed Farrell to take advantage of the unguarded base putting runners at the corners with no outs. Kelley would follow with a safety squeeze to plate Farrell and give the Blue and White a 2-0 lead.
Farrell and Brown each finished with three hits on the day and each ended 3-for-4 at the plate. Brown scored three of XU's nine runs, while Farrell drove in one and scored twice. Lipski was the only other Musketeer to have a multi-hit game as the senior finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and the homerun.
Sophomore lefty Charlie Leesman picked up his third win of the season as he went 7.0 strong allowing all three of the Dukes runs. Leesman allowed seven hits and four walks, while striking out three before giving way to Kyle Cowden to finish the game. Cowden went 2.0 solid innings allowing only one hit and striking out two.
Xavier will have Monday off before returning to Hayden Field for an afternoon contest against Miami (Ohio) on Tuesday afternoon. Game time is set for 3:00 pm with both teams' starter yet to be determined.
