Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Massachusetts
Three Homers Key Baseball's 11-6 Win Over Massachusetts
05.15.10 | Baseball
May 15, 2010
Box Score
CINCINNATI - On the strength of three home runs, all coming in the sixth inning, the Xavier baseball team got past visiting Massachusetts, 11-6, Saturday at XU's Hayden Field. Junior John McCambridge narrowly missed a perfect day at the plate, going 4-for-5 including a three-run long ball in the sixth, and lacking only a double for the cycle.
Junior Ben Thomas collected five RBI on the day and scored a run, going 3-for-3 on the day. Senior Drew Schmidt also tallied three hits as he was 3-for-5 with three runs and a RBI and two other Musketeers recorded multiple-hit days as well.
Xavier (21-30, 14-9 A-10) got three quick runs in the first as McCambridge led off with a triple and was singled in by Schmidt. Bauer reached on a single to left and advanced to second as the UMass left fielder tried to make a play at the plate when Schmidt came home.
Massachusetts (17-25, 11-12 A-10) answered with three in the top of the fourth to even the game at three runs apiece. Another three-spot in the top of the sixth gave the Minutemen the lead, 6-3, but it would be short lived.
The Musketeers exploded in the bottom of the sixth with six runs as McCambridge knocked out his sixth homer of the season, a three-rub bomb to left to tie the game. After a base hit put Schmidt on first, Thomas sent the first ball he saw over the center field fence for a two-run shot, giving XU back the advantage. Senior Bobby Freking repeated yesterday's back-to-back home run feat by bouncing a ball off of Victory Parkway, his 10th of the year, and the Musketeers surged ahead, 9-6.
XU tacked on two more runs in the eighth to cushion its lead as Thomas used a two-RBI single to plate Schmidt and Bauer. The Musketeers held on for the 11-6 victory to take a 2-0 advantage in the series.
Junior Brian Muransky (1-5) got his first win of the season after throwing two-thirds of an inning striking out two and allowing only one hit. Starter freshman Jon Richard tossed 5.1 innings giving up six runs and striking out two while redshirt freshman Alex Vice and freshman Seth Willoughby finished up the last three innings for XU.
Jared Freni (2-5) was charged with the loss as he allowed seven runs, scattering 11 hits and striking out two.
The Minutemen were led by Mike Gedman and Tom Conley with two hits apiece with Conley knocking three RBI.
The two squads will finish up the three-game set Sunday with first pitch scheduled for noon. Four senior team members will be recognized prior to the start of the game.
