Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
USC Upstate
Bruening, Thomas Lead XU To 8-6 Win Over Spartans
02.19.11 | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2011
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Xavier baseball team won its second straight game with an 8-6 victory over USC-Upstate Saturday evening. With the victory, the Musketeers improved to 2-1 on the season while the Spartans fell to 1-1.
Senior first baseman Ben Thomas had another strong offensive outing going 3-for-5 with an RBI and scored a run. Freshman designated hitter Brian Bruening hit .500 in the game as he went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Markus Kuykendoll earned his first win of the season in two and two-thirds innings of work. Chris Knauff was pegged with the loss for the Spartans in four innings of action.
XU trailed the Spartans 1-0 heading into the second inning but a leadoff single by left fielder Daniel Rod kick-started a two-run inning by the Musketeers. Rod crossed the plate on an RBI ground out by Matt Kleifges, and Ryan Bellamy scored on a single by Thomas that gave the Musketeers a 2-1 lead.
Bruening was one of two Musketeers to cross the plate in the top of the fourth. The freshman was plated by Kliefges sacrifice fly that extended the XU lead to 4-1.
The Spartans made some noise with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 5-5 but XU wouldn't be denied. In the top of the sixth, Thomas got the ball rolling with a one-out single to left field. The senior advanced to second on a ground out by fellow senior Phil Bauer and scored on a Bruening base hit that also plated sophomore Seth Willoughby.
Xavier will travel to UAB on Friday, February 25 for a three-game series. The Musketeers face the Blazers Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.
