Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Missouri
Missouri Gets Past Baseball, 4-2, with Eighth-Inning Rally
03.13.10 | Baseball
March 13, 2010
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth, Missouri slipped past the Xavier baseball team Saturday evening, 4-2, at UM's Taylor Stadium. With the loss, XU falls to 1-12 overall and UM improved to 7-5.
Junior Ben Thomas and freshman Patrick Paligraf each tallied two hits in the contest and Thomas recorded two RBI as well.
Xavier struck first in the contest as junior John McCambridge doubled to left center to put himself in scoring position in the first inning. Thomas' single up the middle brought home McCambridge and the Musketeers took the 1-0 lead.
Missouri evened the score at one apiece in the fourth after two singles and a walk loaded the bases for the Tigers. Brett Nicholas' sacrifice fly to right field scored a UM base runner but the next batter was put out to end the inning. After four, Xavier and Missouri were knotted a 1-1.
The Tigers would take the lead in the sixth inning when Nicholas collected his second RBI of the game with a single to score Aaron Senne. Nicholas was out on the play but Missouri took the 2-1 lead into the seventh.
Senior Drew Schmidt was walked to open the eighth inning and was moved around to second on a sac bunt from McCambridge. Schmidt made it to third as senior Bobby Freking was put out at first and he came home on a base hit from Thomas. With one inning to go, XU and UM were tied at two runs each.
Missouri scored two runs in eighth on a two-RBI single by Dane Opel to take the late 4-2 advantage. UM held XU scoreless in the ninth to take the win.
Junior Brian Muransky (0-3) took the loss for the Musketeers after throwing the final 2.1 innings of the game. He gave up two runs on three hits and struck out two and walked one. Junior Tommy Shirley was XU's starter, putting in 5.2 innings of work giving up two runs on four hits and striking out a game-high seven batters while walking three.
Phil McCormick (2-0) got the win for the Tigers as he threw two-thirds of an inning facing three batters and giving up one hit.
The Musketeers and Tigers close out their three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.
