BOURBONNAIS, Ill. --- The University of St. Francis baseball team claimed the season series from Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference defending regular season and tournament champion Olivet Nazarene University over the weekend, but could not gain the sweep in Sunday's doubleheader of the three game series. The Saints scored a 9-3 first game victory before dropping the finale 6-1.
 
Jake Vera and Luke Ketchum were a big part of the offense on the day. Ketchum totaled five hits in six official plate appearances with four runs scored and his team leading sixth home run of the season. Vera drove in four runs in the opener on a pair of hits and was the only Saint besides Ketchum to produce hits in each end of the twinbill.
 
Noah Kararo also provided three hits and two RBI in Game 1.
 
The third, fourth and fifth innings were key for both clubs. The Saints (7-16, 3-1 CCAC) scored seven of their nine first game runs in those innings, while Olivet Nazarene (9-14, 2-2) amassed all but two of their runs in the same three frames in Game 2.
 
Game 1: USF 9, Olivet Nazarene 3
Doubles were the story in the first game with the Saints recording one in each of their first five innings. Eric Maffie's extra base hit in the third inning tied the score at one all before Scott Tumilty scored Maffie on a sacrifice fly two batters later.
 
USF put up two more runs in the fourth inning on another double (Kararo) and the first of Vera's four runs batted in with a fielder's choice. That inning broke a 2-2 tie and the Saints never trailed again after putting up a three spot in the fifth inning.
 
John McGuire (3-for-4, 2 runs) drove in the first run in the fifth inning with a single with Vera bringing home another two on the Saints' fifth double of the contest.
 
Vera and Kararo added their final runs batted in on the day with their singles in the seventh inning.
 
Ryan Daly (1-1) notched his first win of the season by lasting one out into the sixth inning. Nick Clemmons forced a double play to end ONU's sixth inning threat before Sam Pileggi worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
 
Game 2: Olivet Nazarene 6, USF 1
The Saints were only able to manage four hits off ONU freshman starter Matt Cousino (1-0) with three of those coming from Ketchum. He provided the Saints' only offense with his eighth inning home run.
 
Ketchum's double to open the third inning was the only hit by the Saints over the first four innings. Trailing 3-0 in the fifth inning, they did have one crack at getting back in the contest. They had runners at first and third base with only one out, but Cousino was able to get out of his only jam of the day with a strikeout and a flyout.
 
Cousino went seven plus innings before being pulled in the eighth after giving up the home run to Ketchum followed by Vera's hit. He struck out two and walked two, while allowing the four hits.
 
Up Next
The Saints are right back at it on Monday when they face rival Saint Xavier University in a 3 pm doubleheader at Duly Health and Care Field.
 
Live coverage can be found at gofightingsaints.com/coverage. You can also keep up with all things USF on Twitter @USFSaints.