ELON 11, XAVIER 2
ELON, N.C. -- Pat Irvine went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and career-high five RBI while teammate Ryan Basham earned his first win of the season after allowing just one run over five innings of work to lead the Elon Phoenix to an 11-2 non-conference baseball victory over the visiting Xavier Musketeers from Latham Park on Monday afternoon.
Elon (8-6) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning. Matt Hill was hit by a pitch to start the frame and went to second on Robert Rodebaugh’s single to center. A walk to Chris Vasami loaded the bases for Irvine who blasted his first career grand slam over the 385 sign in centerfield to put the Phoenix ahead 4-0.
Xavier (1-11) got on the board thanks to a solo shot from Jordan Wolf to left-center in the top of the fifth.
A bases loaded walk issued to Rodebaugh in the bottom of the fifth forced home Weaver with Elon’s fifth run of the game. The Phoenix added another on Chase Austin’s first career homer in the sixth.
A five-run seventh for Elon put the game away. With two outs Vasami singled to right and would score on Irvine's triple to the gap in left. Drew Davis’ infield single plated Irvine with run number eight. Austin followed a walk with a single to center which plated Davis and Weaver followed with a single to right to drive in Ryan Adams. An error on a ground ball off the bat of Chris Dove allowed Austin to score the final Phoenix run of the afternoon.
The Musketeers added their final tally in the top of the eighth inning. Wolf singled to start the inning, advanced to second on a balk, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a second balk.
Basham (1-0) picked up the win in his first start of the season. He allowed just one run on four hits in 5.0 innings. He also fanned four. Greg Jones, Vasami and Mike Melillo combined to allow just one run and one hit over the final four frames.
Zac Richard (1-2) took the loss for Xavier after giving up 10 runs on nine hits in 6.2 innings. Mark Janszen surrendered one unearned run in 1.1 innings of action in relief.
Along with Irvine, Austin also tallied a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Davis’ infield single in the seventh extended his hitting streak to a team-best eight games.
For Xavier, Wolf went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a RBI. The Musketeers managed just five hits on the day.
Up next for Elon is a showdown with UNC Wilmington. The Phoenix and Seahawks will get things going from Latham Park at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday.