Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Indiana
Thomas' Clutch Homers Propel Baseball Past Indiana
03.25.09 | Baseball
March 25, 2009
Box Score
CINCINNATI - Sophomore Ben Thomas hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth and then drilled a walk off blast in the 11th to lead the Xavier University baseball team to a dramatic 7-6 victory over Indiana on Wednesday evening at soggy Hayden Field in Cincinnati. With the win, XU improves to 12-6 on the year while the Hoosiers slip to 7-14.
Thomas, who also started on the mound for Xavier, finished the day 3-for-6 at the plate with two runs scored and five RBI. His game-tying dinger in the bottom of the ninth came after Drew Schmidt drew a leadoff walk and Bobby Freking connected on a single to center.
IU elected to remove starter Chris Squires, who had been outstanding for 8+ innings, in favor of Matt Carr (0-2) after Freking's single and Thomas greeted him with a homer on his first pitch. Squires gave up 12 hits and five runs, striking out four Musketeers and inducing 14 groundball outs on 115 pitches.
After two solid innings by Xavier's Joe Kohler (2-0) Thomas nailed a two-out homer onto the roof of O'Connor Sports Center, sending the Musketeers home with their sixth-straight win. XU has now outscored the opposition 8-0 in extra innings.
Kohler threw two perfect innings for Xavier, striking out one Hoosier en route to his second win of the season.
Brett Greenwell and Shane Liska were effective in relief of Thomas, keeping XU just close enough for the rally. The two combined to throw 4.2 innings and gave up two runs on six hits and a walk.
Xavier is back in action on Friday, March 27 when the team opens up a three-game series with Rhode Island at Hayden Field. Game time for the series opener is set for 3 p.m.
