Box Score March 17, 2018 Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML)
OXFORD, Ohio - The Miami baseball team fell to Xavier, 5-2, Saturday at McKie Field at Hayden Park. The RedHawks drop to 11-5 on the year while the Musketeers move to 6-12.
Miami starting pitcher Zach Spears (L, 1-2) went 6.1 innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits while racking up a career-high 11 strikeouts and walking none.
For the second straight day, Xavier was able to get on the board in their first chance at the dish. A two-run single gave the Musketeers an early edge. The Red & White answered to cut the deficit in half in their first opportunity at the plate. After two quick outs, Ross Haffey singled through the right side, Landon Stephens walked and Hayden Senger poked a single through the left side to bring Haffey around to make it 2-1 Xavier after one.
The Musketeers quickly regained their two-run margin in the the top of the second thanks to a wild pitch that allowed a runner on third to touch home.
Miami pulled back to within one in the home half of the third. With one out, Haffey singled up the middle and Landon Stephens and Hayden Senger both walked to lead the bases. Following a strikeout, Cal Elvers was struck by a pitch which allowed Haffey to jog in and cross home to make it 3-2 XU after three.
The Musketeers put the game away with single tallies in both the seventh and ninth innings.
Haffey and Jordan Stephens each went 2-for-4 while Senger and Elvers both went 1-for-3 with one run driven in.
The series closes on Sunday at Xavier with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
