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CINCINATTI, Ohio – Xavier (7-11, 1-0 Atlantic 10 Conference) scored five runs on St. Bonaventure (5-9, 0-1 A-10) in the 1st inning and never looked back en route to a 12-3 series-beginning win over the Bonnies in the league opener for both teams Friday afternoon at chilly Hayden Field.
The three-game series, originally scheduled to be played at McGraw-Jennings Field, was moved to Xavier's home field due to snow. The Bonnies served as the home team, but Xavier pounded out 20 hits on its home field, easily the most of the year allowed the Bona pitching staff.
Freshman Thaddeus Johnson (2-4) and senior Billy Urban (3-5) were the only Bonaventure players with multiple hits, with Johnson delivering a 2-RBI single which at the time halved the Xavier lead. On the day, SBU had just eight hits as Eric Jutca, Justin Brozick, Austin Ingraham and Jason Radwan each added a base knock. Brozick also added a pair of walks for the Brown and White, who have not won an A-10 opener since the 2008 season.
The Musketeers added another run in the 2nd inning on a sacrifice fly to take a 6-0 lead, but the Bonnies were able to get half of those runs back in the 3rd inning. A hard-hit ball by Ingraham to the shortstop resulted in an infield single to plate Radwan with SBU's first run of the game. Johnson (pictured) followed with a two-out, two-strike single up the middle to bring around Urban and Brozick and make the score 6-3.
However, Xavier answered with a run in the 4th as it strung together consecutive doubles and tallied three more in the 5th to knock Bona starter Eddie Gray out of the game and pad its lead to 10-3 before eventually extending it to 12-3 in the 6th.
Gray (0-3) went 4.1 innings, allowing nine earned runs, surrendering 12 hits, striking out five and walking two in suffering his third loss of the year. He was relieved by freshman Ryan Winton with runners on second and third and one out in the 5th, and Winton went on to toss 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits.
The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday due to inclement weather forecasted for Sunday. First pitch of the two, 9-inning games will be 12:00 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Bonaventure's previous high for hits allowed in a game this year was 14 against Mount St. Mary's on Feb. 26 … freshman Drew Teller threw the 8th and 9th innings for the Bonnies, scattering four hits but not allowing a run … Xavier stole six bases.
