TicketsApril 27, 2010
CINCINNATI - Xavier University rallied to score four runs in the fifth inning to take the lead before tacking on more runs in the seventh inning to defeat the University of Cincinnati baseball team, 10-4, Tuesday evening at Hayden Field.
The loss dropped UC below .500 overall at 19-20, while the Musketeers improved to 15-27.
UC fell behind early as Xavier's Ben Thomas got the Musketeers on the board in the first inning with a two-out, RBI single, before a Matt Kleifges RBI sacrifice fly saw XU take a 2-0 lead through two innings.
In the Cincinnati fourth inning, sophomore T.J. Jones got the inning started with a double to right-center field to quickly put a runner in scoring position. Jones cut the deficit to one run, 2-1, when he scored on a single to left-center field by junior Kendal Coleman. Coleman quickly trotted home as UC's next batter, senior Jimmy Jacquot, belted a two-run home run to right field, giving UC its first lead of the day, 3-2.
However, the momentum switched sides in the fifth inning when Xavier took advantage of a two-out error from Cincinnati. Following the error, the Musketeers strung together five consecutive hits, which plated four runs, pushing the XU lead to three runs, 6-3.
UC closed the gap in the top of the seventh when senior Kevin Johnson, who doubled to start the inning, scored on a sacrifice fly from senior Beach Brooks, but the top of Xavier's order drove in three runs and Zach Schmidt scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Xavier its biggest lead of the day, 10-4.
The Bearcats were unable to strike in the late innings as the Musketeers took the opener of the home-and-home weekday series, 10-4.
Sophomore Braden Kline and Johnson led Cincinnati with two hits apiece, while Jacquot hit his team-leading seventh home run and drove in his team-best 31st and 32nd runs.
Freshman Zach Isler took the loss for Cincinnati after giving up eight hits and five runs, two of which were earned, in 4.2 innings.
Xavier and Cincinnati close out their home-and-home series on Wednesday, April 28, when the two teams reconvene at Marge Schott Stadium at 6:30 p.m.