University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Xavier
UMass Drops Series Finale At Xavier, 6-4
May 16, 2010 | Baseball
May 16, 2010
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The UMass baseball team dropped its series finale at Xavier on Sunday afternoon by a 6-4 margin at Hayden Field. With the loss, the Minutemen fall to 17-26 and 11-13 in the Atlantic 10, while the Musketeers improve to 22-30, and 15-9 in conference play.
Xavier scored the first run of the contest in the bottom of the first without registering a hit. John McCambridge was hit by a pitch and moved up to second after a walk to Drew Schmidt. The runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Phil Bauer, while McCambridge crossed the plate on an RBI ground out by Ben Thomas.
In the next half inning, UMass tied the score at one. Singles by senior Brian Baudinet and junior Peter Copa, followed by a walk to senior Mike Gedman, loaded the bases for the Minutemen. Baudinet then came home on a double play ball to put the squad on the board.
UMass pulled in front, 2-1, in the top of the third. Freshman Ryan Cusick sent a 3-2 pitch down the line in left for a double to lead off the frame, while the next batter, junior Eric Fredette traded places with him, sending a double to right to drive in the run. Sophomore Tom Conley then increased the advantage to 3-1 with a two-out solo home run to left the following inning.
The Musketeers answered right back, however, trimming the deficit to one in the bottom of the fourth as Thomas lofted a 1-0 pitch over the wall in center for Xavier's first hit of the afternoon. The squad tied the score at three in the bottom of the fifth as Matt Kleifges singled and scored on an error.
In the top of the sixth, UMass took one of the runs back as senior Mike Donato dropped a leadoff single into left, moved to second on a sacrifice, to third on a ground ball and scored on a two-out single through the left side by Conley.
Kleifges reached on a two-base error to open up the bottom of the seventh for the Musketeers, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Patrick Paligraf and came in for the tying run on an RBI double down the right field line by McCambridge. Bauer then gave Xavier a 6-4 advantage with a two-run homer to center.
Senior Bryan Leigh took the hard-luck loss (5-5) on the mound for the Minutemen, allowing six runs, two earned, on just four hits with one walk and four strikeouts. Zac Richard to register the victory (3-0) in relief for the Musketeers. He tossed three scoreless innings and surrendered one hit with one walk and three strikeouts. Seth Willoughby logged the final out of the contest to record the save.
Conley went 2-for-4 at the plate for UMass with two RBI and one run scored. Fredette was 2-for-5 with an RBI.
Bauer and Thomas each contributed hits for Xavier, tallying two RBI apiece and each scoring once.
UMass will wrap up the regular season at home with a three-game series against La Salle this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 20-22.
