Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Saint Joseph's
Ninth Inning Rally Notches Win for Xavier
05.18.06 | Baseball
May 18, 2006
PHILADELPHIA - Another ninth inning rally helped Xavier get past host Saint Joseph's this afternoon in the first game of the Atlantic 10 series. The Musketeers used 10 hits to plate eight runs and down the Hawks 8-7 at Elmwood Park on Thursday. XU improves to 17-37 on the season and 7-18 in conference action, while Saint Joseph's drops to 17-37 and 9-16 in A-10 play.
Saint Joseph's struck first as the Hawks plated the first two runs of the game in the bottom of the second and third innings. The Musketeers would respond in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 2-2. Freshman Neil Lindgren was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and scored during the next at-bat by Sean Brewer. The senior laced a double to center to score Lindgren and cut the deficit to 2-1. A walk by Adam Lipski was rewarded after a sacrifice bunt by Andy Zellers put runners at second and third with one out. A sacrifice fly to left by freshman Sean Farrell was deep enough to score Brewer and knot the score at 2-2.
Xavier would plate two more runs in the fifth and one in the seventh to go on top 5-2. The lone run in the seventh was scored by Jordan Wolf who reached on a bunt single to start the inning. Steve Brown would drive in Wolf with a single to right center two batters later and the hit also extended the freshman's hit streak to 19 games.
The Hawks would not give up and answered with a five-run seventh to go back on top 7-5. SJU would use two homeruns in the inning and two costly Xavier errors to keep the inning alive and plate the five runs.
In the top of the eighth, the Musketeers would respond as a double by Zellers plated Lipski and reduced the lead to 7-6. A shot off the bat of Matt Waskerwitz was too much for the Hawk third baseman to handle, allowed Zellers to score the final run of the inning and restored parity at 7-7.
Xavier took advantage of its last at-bat in the contest and used leadoff Adam Pasono reaching base to get everything started. After Pasono was hit by a pitch, classmate Lindgren laced a single to left center to put runners at first and second with one out. Brewer then stepped to the plate and single to third leaving the bases loaded with one out for Adam Lipski. Lipski would deliver his first sacrifice fly and 23rd RBI of the season to give XU the 8-7 advantage and the lead for good.
Brewer led the offensive attack on the afternoon as the senior finished 3-for-5 with a run and two RBIs. Lipski ended the day 2-for-3 at the dish with a run scored and two RBIs as well. Six of the eight Musketeer starters recorded an RBI in the game. Jordan Wolf, Zellers, Pasono, Brown and Lindgren each tallied one hit in the game.
Brown now stands tied for third in program history for consecutive games with a hit. The 19-game streak ties Eric Greenwell, brother of current XU player Brett Greenwell, and John Turner who had their streaks in 2000 and 1981, respectively. Ty Brenning, who established the current record in 2001, holds the longest hitting streak in school history.
Mike Creevy got the start on the mound for the Musketeers and delivered another quality outing as the junior went seven innings allowing seven runs but no earned runs and striking out six. Senior Steve Sakosits entered in the bottom of the eighth to provide relief and finish out the contest to get the win. Sakosits ended allowing no runs and no hits in his two innings pitched.
Game two of the series will get underway tomorrow afternoon starting at 3:00 pm at Elmwood Park's Latshaw/McCarthy Field. Xavier's Michael Lucas (1-8, 4.76 ERA) will take the mound against Saint Joseph's Robert Unkel (3-6, 6.08 ERA).
