The Bison baseball team won the series with Xavier over the weekend, but Xavier took the Sunday game 5-1.
On Friday night Lipscomb played small ball as senior Jonathon Allison and redshirt freshman Allan Hooker both had run scoring singles in the bottom of the first inning. It was not until the top of the sixth that Xavier center fielder Brian Bruening hit a two run homer for the Musketeers, the only two runs scored by Xavier.
Lipscomb scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, with a RBI single from senior Grant Massey and an insurance run provided by redshirt junior Adam Lee. The Bisons final tally of the game came with a run scoring double from freshman Jeffrey Crisan.
The second game of the series, resulted in an 11-1 win for Lipscomb. Xavier started the third inning with a run that ended up being their only score of the game. Lipscomb answered right back, scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the third.
In the bottom of the fourth, Lipscomb had a lead-off homerun by Allison. The Bisons had a big inning in the bottom of the fifth, scoring five runs, and senior Grant Massey started it with a two-run scoring double. Allison provided a run scoring double, and Hooker provided a RBI triple. Hooker also scored the final run of the inning on a wild pitch. It was not until the bottom of the eighth that Lipscomb again scored three runs on a two run homer from freshman Michael Gigliotti and a run scoring triple from senior Mike Korte.
In the final game on Sunday afternoon, Lipscomb fell to Xavier 5-1. The starting pitcher for Xavier, Trent Astle, pitched a complete game. His fielding error in the bottom of the ninth gave Lipscomb their only run. Head coach Jeff Forehand talked about what made Xavier’s pitcher so effective.
“I think he had three pitches he was locating for strikes,” Forehand said. “He had pinpoint control and was really sharp today.”
Lipscomb’s Sunday game was the first time they have lost on a weekend series at home. This also marks only the second time Lipscomb has lost at home this year.
“I think we have done pretty good at home up to now,” Forehand said. “We got the series win, but we would like to keep defending home field.”
The Bisons look to regroup from this loss as they focus on their next match-up when they will take on Belmont on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Ken Dugan Field in Stephen L. Marsh Stadium.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics