HENDERSON, Tenn. --- The University of St. Francis baseball team gained its first victory of the season as part of a doubleheader split with Lyon College (Ark.) and Freed-Hardeman University (Tenn.) on a brisk Saturday afternoon.
With temperatures hovering in the mid-30's and snow flurries in the air, the Saints used home runs from
Jake LaSota and
Eric Maffie to defeat Lyon 6-1 in the first game before dropping a 5-1 decision to Freed-Hardeman in the nightcap.
Game 1: USF 6, Lyon 1
Five of USF's eight hits in the contest went for extra bases and the Saints took advantage of two Lyon errors and a passed ball to record four unearned runs.
Maffie, LaSota, and
Jonathan Wolf each drove in a pair of runs with Wolf's coming on a two run single in the second inning to put the Saints up 3-0. LaSota made it a 5-1 game one inning later when he made the Scots (5-3) pay for a two out error with a two run home run.
Maffie closed out the scoring with his solo home run in the fifth inning. His other run batted in came on a fielder's choice back in the first inning.
LaSota and
Scott Tumilty registered a pair of hits in the contest with both of LaSota's going for extra bases (triple). Tumilty had a single and a double.
John McGuire (1-0) did not allow a run in his four innings of work in collecting his first victory of the season. He struck out three batters, while not walking anyone and yielding four hits.
Matt Lopez worked the final two innings, both of which were also scoreless.
Game 2: Freed-Hardeman 5, USF 1 Â
The hosts scored single runs in three of the first four innings before adding two more in the sixth inning to account for their scoring.
Will McCall used a pair of doubles to drive in three of the Lion runs.
Tyler Duskin went the distance on the mound for Freed-Hardeman. He struck out eight batters against just one walk, while scattering five hits.
Josh Kirnbauer kept the Saints (1-2) from being shutout with his seventh inning, run producing single. USF did not have more than one runner reach base in each of the first six innings before getting the first three batters on base via an error and two singles.Â
LaSota, Maffie, and Kirnbauer all provided at least one hit in each end of the twinbill with LaSota going 3-for-6 on the day.
Kevin Kardas (0-1) started the contest for the Saints and took the loss.
Up Next
The Saints wrap up their first weekend of play with a single game against Freed-Hardeman on Sunday at 1 pm.
Live coverage can be found at gofightingsaints.com/coverage. You can also keep up with all things USF on Twitter @USFSaints.
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