Feb. 28, 2010
ATLANTA – The Xavier Musketeers scored a season-high seven runs, including four in the bottom of the sixth, to give the Georgia Tech baseball team its first loss of the season in a 7-6 decision Sunday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
With the loss, Georgia Tech fell to 7-1 on the year, while Xavier improved to 1-5 with the win. The loss snaps Tech’s seven game win streak to start the season, after allowing seven runs on 12 hits — the most given up by the home squad all season.
In the first, Tech jumped out to the early lead for the second straight game. Senior Tony Plagman hit a two-run homer over the wall in right-center off Xavier starter Jon Richard in the bottom of the first.
Xavier took one back in the top of the second, with an RBI ground rule double to right-center by Phil Bauer that made it 2-1.
Senior Jason Garofalo added a run in the bottom of the second with a single to left field that brought home junior Derek Deitrich for the 3-1 lead. Garofalo made his first start of the season at second base, after serving as the designated hitter in Saturday’s game.
The Musketeers struck once again in the top of the fifth, on a RBI single through the left side to cut the lead to one. The Jackets would extend the lead to 4-2, as a Plagman groundout to short scored Garofalo from third.
The Jackets fell behind for just the second time this season, and second time this series when Xavier took a 6-4 lead in the top of the sixth inning. The Musketeers scored four runs on four hits, forcing two costly Tech throwing errors, one by Bradley, and another by reliever Zach Brewster.
Tech starter Jed Bradley (1-1) was pulled after the Musketeers loaded the bases with no outs to start the inning, and recorded his first loss of the season after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 5.0 innings pitched.
Junior catcher Cole Leonida led a comeback for the Jackets, with a home run down the right field line that cut the lead to one. After a scoreless eighth, a two-out RBI single by XU’s Ben Thomas that barely rolled under the glove of Tech second baseman Connor Winn, put Xavier up 7-5 in the top of the eighth.
In the bottom of the ninth, Tech tried to make one last comeback when Leonida led off the inning with a single. Pinch runner Roddy Jones then came in to run for Leonida and advanced to second on a balk by Xavier pitcher Alex Vice, then moved to third on a wild pitch. Jones then scored on a passed ball.
But, this was as close as Georgia Tech would get to the lead, as Vice put out the comeback bid by getting pinch hitter Jake Davies to ground out and Jeff Rowland to strike out swinging.
For Xavier, John McCambridge went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Ben Thomas also went 2-for-4 with an RBI. The winning pitcher for the Musketeers Richard, who went five innings, allowing four runs (all earned) on four hits, while Vice earned his first save of the year in his inning of relief.
For Tech, Leonida went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Georgia Tech returns to action on Tuesday, March 2nd when they host Western Carolina. First pitch at Russ Chandler Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m.
