Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
St. Bonaventure
Musketeers Rally To Defeat Bonnies 12-11
04.29.11 | Baseball
April 29, 2011
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CINCINNATI -- Xavier freshman right fielder Brian Bruening's walk-off single capped a five-run bottom of the ninth comeback 12-11 win over St. Bonaventure Friday afternoon at Hayden Field. With the win, the Musketeers improved to 22-19 overall and 7-6 in the Atlantic 10.
The Bonnies took an 11-6 lead with five runs in the top of the seventh inning but the Musketeers rallied. XU added run in the bottom of the seventh to cut the SBU lead to four runs.
In the bottom of the ninth the Xavier rally began with a leadoff single by freshman second baseman Selby Chidemo. Third baseman Patrick Paligraf followed with a single of his own that moved Chidemo to second base. After a strikeout by left fielder Mark Elwell, senior center fielder loaded the bases with a base hit bunt.
Senior first baseman Ben Thomas plated Chidemo with an RBI sacrifice fly that cut the SBU lead to 11-8. Senior shortstop Phil Bauer scored Paligraf with an RBI single down the left field line. Sophomore designated hitter Seth Willoughby was hit by a pitch from SBU reliever Andrew Revello to load the bases which set up an RBI for catcher Ryan Bellamy when he reached on an error by the SBU third baseman.
With XU trailing 11-10, Bruening smashed a 1-1 base hit to right center that allowed Willoughby and Bauer to score and seal the dramatic win for XU.
Josh Murphy earned the win in three innings of three-hit baseball. It was the senior's first win of the season. Revello was pegged with loss in 2.2 innings.
Xavier and St. Bonaventure will round out the three-game series tomorrow with a double-header beginning at 12 p.m. Tyler Koors and Vinny Nittoli are scheduled to start games two and three respectively.
