Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Toledo
Eighth Inning Rally Hurts Xavier
04.05.06 | Baseball
April 5, 2006
CINCINNATI - Xavier could not hold a five run lead heading into the top of the eighth inning as visiting Toledo erased the deficit with a six-run eighth to win the non-conference match-up 7-6 on Wednesday afternoon at Hayden Field. The Musketeers left 14 runners on base and outhit the Rockets 10-7 but could not stave off the eighth inning rally. With the loss, XU drops to 10-19 on the season, while Toledo improves to 13-10 overall.
Xavier started the bottom of the first by being patient at the plate and put some pressure on the Toledo starter. UT's Chris Fields walked the first four batters to begin the game, while throwing 17 pitches and only one strike before being taken out of the game. The Musketeers would capitalize on the early free passes by plating five runs in the opening frame.
The Rockets would get one run back in the form of a solo shot over the left field fence to put the score at 5-1 after the top of the second. The blue and white would respond to the inning in the bottom of the third as Jordan Wolf led off the inning with a single to right center. After freshman Richard Bautista was hit by a pitch and fellow freshman Steve Brown walked, classmate Neil Lindgren delivered a sacrifice fly to center to allow Wolf to cross the plate and push the score to 6-1 in favor of the home team.
Toledo would save its big inning until the top of the eighth when the Rockets would produce six runs on five hits before the dust settled and the score was 7-6 with the advantage to the visitors.
Wolf ended the contest 3-for-5 at the plate with one run scored. Brown would end the day 2-for-3 with a career-high two hits and recorded his first career double and RBI in the game. Junior Drew Roberts also finished the game 2-for-3 and notched his first career triple in the bottom of the second inning. He also tallied a run scored and an RBI. Adam Lipski, Matt Waskerwitz and Bautista each had one hit on the afternoon.
The Musketeers received an outstanding effort on the mound from the starter Steve Sakosits. The senior threw six innings of one-hit baseball and surrendered only one run before exiting. Freshman Charlie Leesman saw his first collegiate action of the season as he came in to relieve Sakosits in the seventh. Leesman provided one inning of relief and faced four batters, while allowing only one hit.
The Musketeers will get set for the upcoming conference weekend and the first Atlantic 10 road trip of the year as the team will travel to George Washington to take on the Colonials in a three-game series this weekend. The first game is scheduled for Friday afternoon with the opening pitch slated for 3:00 pm. XU's Mike Creevy (2-5, 6.29 ERA) will take the hill for the blue and white against GW's Derrik Lutz (0-2, 2.10 ERA) in the first game.
