CHICAGO --- Jonathan Wolf drove in three runs for the University of St. Francis baseball team, but Saint Xavier University rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to claim a 6-5 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over the Saints on Tuesday afternoon.

After Saint Xavier (33-10, 16-5 CCAC) opened up a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Wolf got one of those runs back with a two out RBI single in the second frame. One inning later, Eric Maffie had the Saints (22-22, 18-7) back even at two all with his run producing base hit to right field.

Saint Xavier regained a 3-2 edge in the fifth inning only to have Wolf come through in the clutch again, this time in the sixth inning. His two out single to center field drove home two runs, providing the Saints with their first lead of the contest at 4-3. They would extend the advantage to 5-3 in the top half of the eighth inning, taking advantage of a Saint Xavier error. 

But in the bottom half of the inning, the Saints would give that run back with an error of their own with two outs and the bases loaded. That brought the eventual winning run home to score one pitch before the final out of the inning was recorded. Prior to that, the Cougars strung together four hits and a walk in a span of six batters to key the rally.

The Saints did have one last crack at extending their winning streak to seven games in the ninth inning. Back-to-back one out walks put the tying run at second base, but Saint Xavier was able to dash the threat with a fly out and a groundout to end the game.

Wolf and Maffie accounted for four of USF's six hits in the contest to lead the offense.

Up Next
The Saints host Aquinas College (Mich.) in a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday beginning at 1 pm.

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