Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Michigan State
Baseball Uses Six-Run 11th to Best Michigan State
03.15.09 | Baseball
March 15, 2009
Box Score
GREENVILLE, S.C. - It took extra innings but the Xavier baseball team thwarted Michigan State's come-from-behind bid with a six-run 11th inning to take the 11-5 victory in its final game of the Spartan Classic Sunday evening. Senior Adam Pasono and junior Drew Schmidt each had three hits on the day for the Musketeers.
Xavier (7-6) got its offense going in the second inning as junior Bobby Freking took a base on balls to open the frame. Senior Sean Farrell followed with a double to left center and Freking made it all the way around to home on the play to give XU its first run of the day. Senior Jordan Conley grounded out to second, enabling Farrell to make it across to put the Musketeers up by two, 2-0.
The Musketeers got another run in the third as senior Steve Brown sent a long ball over the right field fence. The solo home run was his first of this season and only the second of his career to give Xavier the 3-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the frame.
Michigan State (2-13) threatened in the third after getting runners in scoring position. With two outs and men on second and third, Johnny Lee struck out swinging for freshman Nathan Mutsch's third strike out of the day and the Musketeers got out of the inning with no damage.
The Spartans would score, however, in the bottom of the sixth after Boike singled through the right side and then advanced to third on a single by Lee. Eli Boike was able to cross home plate when Chris Roberts hit into a double play, scoring MSU's first run of the game. The Musketeers held on to the lead, 3-1, heading into the seventh.
In the seventh frame, XU's senior Billy O'Conner reached first on a bunt and Brown reached on a throwing error by the pitcher, advancing O'Conner to third. Sophomore Ben Thomas hit into a double play but O'Conner was able to make it home as the Musketeers expanded their lead back out to three, 4-1.
MSU got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Boike was walked with the bases loaded and Jonathan Roof made it home. The Spartans still trailed by two, 4-2.
The Musketeers would relinquish their lead in the eighth as the Spartans tallied three runs in the frame. The first two batters were walked and one scored on a single by Holm. With two on and only one out, Felt tripled to right center bringing home two more Spartans, scoring the go ahead run for MSU. Michigan State claimed the 5-4 advantage headed into the ninth.
In the ninth, Pasono got himself into scoring position for XU with a double to left field and Brown was walked to put runners on first and second. With two out and two on, Thomas kept the Musketeers alive with a single to left field and Pasono was able to score on the play. With the scored knotted at five apiece, Xavier took the field for the bottom of the ninth.
The two teams, tied at five through nine, headed to extra innings. In the 11th, sophomore Ryan Bellamy was hit by a pitch and replaced on the bag by freshman Danny Rinck. Pasono followed with a single to put runners on first and second. O'Conner was walked to load the bases and Brown brought home a run with a fielder's choice.
The bases still loaded, Thomas was at the plate and he came up big again for the Musketeers, batting a two-RBI double to right field. Sophomore Phil Bauer was sent in to pinch run for Thomas at second and junior Bobby Freking singled up the middle, scoring two more runs for XU. Senior Neil Lindgren followed with a single and Schmidt's single scored Freking to give Xavier the insurmountable 11-5 lead over Michigan State.
Sophomore Brian Muranksy (1-1) collected the win for the Musketeers. He tossed two complete innings, striking out four while walking none and gave up no runs on only one hit. Starter Mutcsh put in six innings of work, striking out striking out five while walking two and giving up two runs on four hits. Conley finished the game on the mound for XU, as he struck out the side in the 11th.
Kurt Wunderlich (0-3) took the loss for the Spartans. He was charged with seven runs after pitching four and a third innings.
The Musketeers will head to Dayton, Ohio, to take on the Wright State Raiders in a midweek match-up on Wednesday, March 18th. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
