Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
La Salle
Baseball Drops Doubleheader at La Salle
04.04.09 | Baseball
April 4, 2009
Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2
PHILADELPHIA - The Xavier baseball team dropped its Atlantic 10 doubleheader Saturday at La Salle, 8-5 and 5-3. The two teams will wrap up their three-game series Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
Sophomore Ben Thomas led the Musketeers offensively in the first game, going 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI and one run scored while senior Neil Lindgren was one of four Musketeers with multiple-hit games in the nightcap. He went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI as well.
In the first contest, La Salle (11-14, 2-6 A-10) jumped out to the quick 2-0 lead after scoring two runs in the first frame. With two out and two on, an errant Musketeer throw scored both Explorer runners.
Xavier (14-11, 4-4 A-10) got a run back in the second off a sacrifice fly by senior Steve Brown to cut into the La Salle lead, 2-1.
In the bottom of the second, the Explorers scored two more off back-to-back RBI doubles to extend their lead to three, 4-1. XU put up two runs of its own in the third after a double and a walk put two runners into scoring position. Senior Billy O'Conner was able to come home on a balk and with junior Drew Schmidt at third, Thomas collected an RBI with his single through the right side. After three, La Salle only led by one, 4-3.
Both teams tallied a run in the fourth but the Explorers would put the game out of reach with two in the fifth and another in the sixth. Although Xavier would score one more in the eighth as senior Adam Pasono plated senior Sean Farrell with a single to right, the Musketeers would not recover from its deficit. La Salle took the first game, 8-5.
Junior Danny Rosenbaum (2-3) took the loss for XU after throwing four and third innings. He gave up four earned runs on nine hits and struck out six and walking two.
Drew Gerhart (2-2) got the win for the Explorers. He threw seven complete innings, giving up two earned runs on eight hits and striking out three while walking two. Christian Schulz tallied his second save on the year.
The nightcap was kicked off with a run from La Salle in the bottom of the first followed by a Musketeer run in the second. Senior Jordan Conley would make his way to third after reaching on a single up the middle and made it hone when senior Steve Brown was put out at first. The two teams headed into the bottom of the second knotted at two apiece.
The Explorers would break the game open in the second, leading off with back-to-back triples followed by a sac bunt to score both runners. La Salle tallied three more hits in the inning and scored four total runs to go ahead, 5-1.
Xavier got one run in both the eighth and ninth innings in an attempt to overcome the La Salle lead. In the eighth, O'Conner's two-out single scored Lindgren and in the ninth, Lindgren returned the favor with a single to left scoring junior Zac Richard. Despite the rally, the Musketeers fell short in the contest, 5-3.
Freshman Josh Deeg (2-1) took the loss for the Musketeers in the nightcap. He tossed 2.2 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits. Sophomore Tommy Shirley closed out the game for the Musketeers, throwing 5.1 of runless innings. He gave up four hits, struck out four and walked one.
Kevin Fuqua (3-2) got the win for the Explorers. He put in 6.2 innings of work giving up one earned run on eight hits and struck out two while walking five. Cody Weiss collected his third save of the season.
The Musketeers and Explorers finish up their three-game series Sunday with first pitch at 12 p.m.
