Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
Dayton
Seven-Run Fourth Catapults Baseball Over Dayton, 12-5
05.16.09 | Baseball
May 16, 2009
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CINCINNATI - The Xavier baseball team used a seven-run fourth to notch its school record 33rd win of the season Saturday afternoon on "Senior Day" at Hayden Field. The Musketeers knocked out three home runs on the day in the 15-hit outing and all eight seniors saw action in the win. XU will be the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Atlantic 10 Championship May 20-23 and will play the No. 6 seed on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
Senior Jordan Conley went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI in his final home game as a Musketeer. Junior Drew Schmidt also had three hits on the day, including a solo homer in the fifth, his second home run of the season.
Xavier (33-18, 18-9 A-10) notched a single run in the second to get its offense going as senior Steve Brown singled in Conley to put XU up, 1-0.
Dayton (37-17, 21-6 A-10) put up two runs in the following frame on a two-RBI single from Jacob Spaeth as the Flyers briefly held the 2-1 lead.
The Musketeers exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth after Brown led off with a double down the left line. Sophomore John McCambridge scored the first run of the frame on a wild pitch and senior Adam Pasono made it home as senior Sean Farrell reached on a Flyer error. Senior Neil Lindgren trotted home as the bases were loaded when senior Jack Bonnikson took a base on balls. Farrell was able to score on an error by the center fielder and junior Zac Richard singled in Bonnikson.
The seventh run of the inning was scored by Conley as another Musketeer was walked with the bases loaded. In an attempt to score on a fly out, Richard was called for leaving third early and the Flyers were able to get out of the inning. Xavier held the commanding 8-2 advantage.
In the fifth, Dayton tallied two more runs after Max Navalinski's double plated Jake Hoover who had reached on a single to open the frame. The next Flyer batter singled and Scott Dunwoody grounded into a double play but Navalinski was able to score from third. UD pulled to within four, 8-4.
The home team put up two more runs in both the fifth and seventh innings, including back-to-back home runs in the fifth. Lindgren led off with a solo shot over the left field fence followed by a left center dinger by Schmidt. In the seventh, Farrell was walked to give the Musketeer a base runner as Bonnikson stepped up for his last home at-bat. Bonnikson sent a two-runner blast over the left field fence to score XU's last two runs of the game, only his second career homer.
In the top of the ninth, the Flyers' Jonathan Castine led off with a solo shot to center in a pinch hitting appearance but Dayton were unable to muster any more offense as Xavier took the game, 12-5.
Sophomore Ben Thomas (4-1) notched the win for the Musketeers after putting in five innings of work. He gave up four runs on five hits and struck out two while walking one. Freshman Shane Liska and Josh Deeg provided quality middle relief innings. Seniors Brett Greenwell and Joe Kohler made their final appearance at Hayden Field in the ninth to close out the game.
Mike Hauschild (3-3) took the loss for the Flyers as he tossed 3.1 innings. He gave up four runs on seven hits and struck out one while walking two.
Xavier has earned the No. 3 seed in the upcoming A-10 Championship after finishing the season in third place in league play. The Musketeers will face the sixth-seeded team on Wednesday, May 20, at 3:30 p.m. All games will be played ay 5/3 Field, home of the Dayton Dragons for the double-elimination tournament.
