HENDERSON, Tenn. --- The University of St. Francis baseball team produced its two best hitting efforts of the season, but still came up on the short end of a pair of two run setbacks on Sunday. The Saints dropped a 6-4 decision to Culver-Stockton College (Mo.) in the morning before being dealt a 5-3 walk off loss to Freed-Hardeman University (Tenn.) in the nightcap.

The Saints (1-7) collected 22 hits on the day, including 13 in the opener, but left 20 runners on the basepaths.

Noah Kararo and Jake LaSota were the hitting stars on the day with the former collecting six hits and the latter, four.

On the mound, Ryan Daly, Angel Sandoval and Zac Blazekovich combined to allow just one run in their three plus innings each.

Game 1: Culver-Stockton 6, USF 4
For the second straight day against the Wildcats, the Saints had their chances, but could not come up with the big hit when they needed it to spark a multiple run inning. They finished the contest with a season-high 13 hits, but left 12 runners on base over the nine inning affair.

Kararo and LaSota each delivered four hits in five official at bats with Kararo driving in two runs and LaSota one. LaSota's RBI single in the first inning opened the scoring and that lead held up through the first three innings with Daly throwing one hit shutout baseball.

After Ronald Applewhite made it a 2-1 game in favor of Culver-Stockton with his two-run home run in the fourth inning, Kararo delivered the first of his two runs batted in with a two out single in the bottom of the frame to tie the contest at two all.

The Wildcats (2-2) then doubled up on the Saints over the final two innings, outscoring them 4-2 keyed by a three run seventh inning. A wild pitch and a balk set up a pair of sacrifice flies in that inning with USF only being able to counter with a sacrifice fly from Eric Maffie in the bottom half and Kararo's second RBI hit in the eighth.  

Sam Tumilty also went 2-for-4 for USF.

Mack Malczewski (0-1) was charged with the loss.

Game 2: Freed-Hardeman 5, USF 3
The Saints got all three of their runs in the first inning, while William Kelley had a day to remember for Freed-Hardeman (8-2). The right fielder drove in all five runs, including the final two on a two out, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Josh Kirnbauer got USF off on the right foot at the start with his two run single. The Saints' third run came in on a double play. 

That, however, would be the end of the scoring on the afternoon for St. Francis despite producing its second most hits of the young campaign with nine. Kararo and Liam Higgins each had a pair of singles.

Kelley drove in his runs with doubles in the first and fifth innings before the home run in the ninth.

Sandoval made his season debut for the Saints. He went the first four innings and allowed just one run. Blazekovich tossed another three shutout innings with four strikeouts.  Quinn McGuire (0-1) took the loss.

Up Next
The Saints return to action next Saturday and Sunday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa when they face Mount Mercy University in a four game series.     

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