JOLIET, Ill. --- Angel Sandoval (JR/Garfield Ridge, Ill.) and Colin Kelly (JR/Tinley Park, Ill.) combined to throw 14 innings of shutout, four-hit baseball enabling the University of St. Francis to open Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play with a sweep of Olivet Nazarene University on Monday (March 2) afternoon at DuPage Medical Group Field. Sandoval went the seven-inning distance of the 8-0 first-game victory, while Kelly had a no-hitter going one out into the seventh-inning of the 3-1 nine-inning win in Game 2.
Offensively, the Saints scored all of the runs they needed on the day in the first two innings of the twin bill. They put up six runs after two outs in the first game and plated single runs in each of the first two innings of the nightcap before Travis Schoonover (SR/Braidwood, Ill.) crushed the first pitch of the sixth inning for a home run to right center field to finish off USF's scoring on the day.
The Saints (4-8, 2-0 CCAC) and Olivet Nazarene (2-8, 0-2) complete the three-game series at DuPage Medical Group Field on Tuesday (March 3) at 3 pm.
Game 1: USF 8, Olivet Nazarene 0
Sandoval (1-1) was masterful in his seven innings of work, facing only three batters over the minimum in recording USF's first shutout win of the season. He struck out seven batters opposite just one walk and three hits – singles in the first, fifth and seventh innings. The latter frame was the only time the right hander allowed a runner to get as far as second base.
After giving up the one-out hit in the first inning, Sandoval retired the next 12 batters in a row and 18 of 19 before yielding a single and a walk with two outs in the seventh inning.
On offense, each of USF's nine starters either collected a hit or scored a run with six of the eight runs coming after two outs in the opening inning. Adam Cibulka (SR/Grafton, Wis.) and Eric Maffie (FR/Coal Valley, Ill.) provided the big hits in the inning with a pair of two-run doubles.
After producing four two-out hits in the first inning, the Saints managed only two hits over the next five frames before adding a pair of runs on three hits in the seventh inning.
Cibulka finished the game going 3-for-4, while Maffie posted two hits in three at bats and also scored a run.
Game 2: USF 3, Olivet Nazarene 0
The Saints were in control for much of the contest with Kelly (1-1) on the mound before Olivet Nazarene made things interesting in the ninth inning. ONU right fielder Jacob Bulthuis broke up the left hander's no-hit bid with a double to right center field with one out in the seventh inning. Kelly, however, was able to complete the inning unscathed and finished his day after that frame, striking out four batters, walking four and hitting one.
Tyler Dome (SR/Orange, Calif.) worked a scoreless eighth inning before getting into trouble in the ninth inning. He allowed the only run, three hits and a walk in the inning before giving way to Kyle Massaro (SR/Romeoville, Ill.), who got a strikeout with the bases loaded to end the game and pick up his first save of the season. He also preserved Kelly's first win as a Saint.
St. Francis got its first run of the game without the aid of a hit. Shawn Harper (SR/Plainfield, Ill.) opened the contest being hit by a pitch, John Peterson (JR/Palos Heights, Ill.) walked and both moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Schoonover. Kevin Rada (SR/Valencia, Venezuela) then drove home Harper on a groundout.
The hosts also picked up their second run on an RBI groundout, this time off the bat of Jonathan Wolf (Kalamazoo, Mich.). He scored Noah Kararo (JR/Oswego, Ill.), who singled up the middle, stole second base and went to third on a throwing error on the steal attempt. Kararo tallied half of USF's four hits in the contest and also drove in a run in the opener with a single.
Up until Olivet Nazarene's three-hit ninth inning, the two teams combined for six hits over the first eight-plus innings of the nightcap. USF pitchers also limited Tiger batters to just five hits over the first 15 innings of the doubleheader.
