Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Rhode Island
Baseball Takes Rhode Island to 12 Innings, Falls 8-7
03.28.09 | Baseball
March 28, 2009
Box Score
CINCINNATI - With a two-RBI double in the bottom of the ninth, senior Jordan Conley sent the game into extra innings but the Xavier baseball team came up just short, falling 8-7 (12) to the visiting Rhode Island Rams Saturday afternoon at Hayden Field. Both teams belted out 13 hits but errors were costly for the Musketeers as XU committed three in the contest.
Senior Steve Brown went 3-for-3 on the day along with two sacrifice bunts and a walk to lead the Musketeers' offense. He scored the tying run in the ninth on Conley's double to keep the Muskies alive, sending the game to extra innings. Senior Billy O'Conner also had an impressive day on offense, going 3-for-5 and scoring three runs and collecting an RBI. O'Conner banged out the first home run of his collegiate career to lead off the first inning.
Xavier (12-8, 3-2 A-10) picked up the first run of the game with a lead-off homer from O'Conner on the fourth pitch of the day. Brown and junior Bobby Freking followed with back-to-back singles but the Rams were able to get out of the inning with no more damage as XU held the 1-0 lead.
Rhode Island (14-7, 4-1 A-10) put up two runs in both the second and third frames, including a full-count, two-run blast from Rob DeVeney in the second. URI was up 4-1 heading into the bottom of the third.
XU got a run back in the third when a ground out by sophomore Ben Thomas allowed O'Conner to score from third.
The score would remain 4-2, in favor of Rhode Island, until the fifth when both teams were able to send in a run. The Rams kicked off the frame with a lead-off homer from Oliver Palmer, his third long-ball of the weekend. The Musketeers followed with a double from Adam Pasono who was sent home on a ground out by Freking. After five, the score was 5-3 in favor of URI.
In the eighth, Rhode Island's Mike LeBel sent a two-run homer over the left center fence to spread the Ram lead to four but XU answer with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. Junior Drew Schmidt singled to right and senior Sean Farrell was called on to pinch hit for the Musketeers. Farrell swung for the fences, sending his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, over the right field wall. The two squads began the ninth with Rhody leading by two, 7-5.
Sophomore Tom Shirley started the ninth frame on the mound for the Musketeers and he struck out the first two Ram batters. Although URI's Palmer reached on an XU error, he was caught stealing second to end the inning.
With two outs and two on, Conley kept the Musketeers alive with a clutch two-RBI double to send the game into extra innings.
With the score tied, 7-7, through 11 innings, Rhode Island got a runner into scoring position after a Muskie throwing error placed Jeff Cammans on second. DeVeney followed with a single up the middle and Cammans was able to make it home to score what would prove to be the winning run for the Rams.
Down one, 8-7, Xavier would not go down without a fight. Freshman Matt Kleifges was walked to lead off the bottom of the 12th and sophomore John McCambridge moved him over to second with a sac bunt. Senior Adam Pasono flied out but with a tag up, Kleifges safely made it to third. O'Conner was walked to put a runner on first and third but with two outs, and Brown up to bat, O'Conner was picked off at first to end the inning as well as the game.
Shirley (0-2) took the loss for the Musketeers after three and a third innings of work. He gave up one run on three hits while fanning four and walking none. Sophomore Brian Muransky put in 5.1 innings of relief, striking out five batters but giving up three runs on five hits.
Chris Pickering (3-1) got the win for the Rams after tossing two complete innings. He didn't give up any runs or allow any hits but did walk three.
The Musketeers and Rams will wrap up their three-game series on Sunday at Hayden Field. First pitch has been moved up one hour to 11 a.m. due to the threat of rain in the area.
