Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Duquesne
Xavier Takes Two from Duquesne; Stays Perfect at Home
04.13.07 | Baseball
April 13, 2007
CINCINNATI - Xavier received two outstanding pitching performances to improve to 8-0 at Hayden Field this season and take two key Atlantic 10 games from Duquesne on Friday afternoon. The Musketeers took game one, 8-6, and game two, 5-1. With the wins, XU improves to 14-20 overall and 9-2 in conference play, while the Dukes fall to 13-17 on the season and 4-7 in the A-10.
Duquesne came out swinging as the visitors put a four-spot on the board in the opening inning. The Dukes used four hits and one XU error to jump out to the early 4-0 lead. After shutting out Xavier in the home half of the first, the bottom of the second and third would doom the visitors as Xavier posted eight runs in the two innings.
With a pop out to start the inning, Xavier strung five-straight hits together to plate the three runs. Steve Brown would collect the third hit of the inning but a nice throw to the plate nailed Drew Schmidt to end the inning with the Musketeers cutting the lead to 4-3.
After a one-two-three inning in the top of the second, Xavier went back to work to add five runs to the scoreboard. Again with one out in the inning, the Musketeers got the rally started with a single to center by Sean Farrell. After a double by Adam Lipski put runners at second and third, Robbie Kelley picked up the first RBI in the inning by grounding out to second. Matt Waskerwitz walked to load the bases before to allow Adam Pasono to earn two RBIs with a single to center. Brown would provide the final blow of the inning as he singled to center to plate Waskerwitz for the final run of the inning giving the Blue and White the 8-4 advantage.
Duquesne would score one more run in the seventh and ninth innings but it would not be enough as freshman Zac Richard pitched the final frame to shut down the Dukes and pick up his fourth save of the season.
Senior Bill Konecny picked up his second win of the season and settled down to allow only two hits over his final four innings.
In game two of the afternoon, Michael Lucas threw an eight-inning shutout before allowing a homerun in the top of the ninth for his only earned run of the outing. The junior only allowed four hits in 9.0 innings with a season-high seven strikeouts. He just missed his career high of eight set last season.
The Blue and White took the lead for good on a Dukes error in the bottom of the fourth as Adam Lipski led off the inning with a double and then advanced to third on a groundout by Kelley. Neil Lindgren would fire a ground ball to third and caused an errant throw with great hustle down the line.
Four straight singles would produce the big three-run inning to put XU up 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth. A two-out single and stolen base by Jordan Wolf would turn into the final run of the game for Xavier.
Adam Pasono, Steve Brown, Jordan Wolf and Drew Schmidt would post three hits on the day, while Robbie Kelley and Sean Farrell each had four hits.
The Musketeers and Duke will take the field for the final game in the series tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 pm at Hayden Field. If weather permits, this will be the final game of the series but if the weather does not cooperate, the final game of the series will be on Sunday afternoon starting at noon. XU will have sophomore Charlie Leesman getting the start on the hill.
