JOLIET, Ill. --- On a day geared more for football, the University of St. Francis baseball team put up some football type numbers in its Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of Trinity International University on Thursday afternoon at Duly Health and Care Field. Producing their two highest scoring outputs of the season, the Saints opened the day with a 15-3 victory and closed it with a 20-2 thumping to improve to 15-20 overall and 11-5 in league play.

Fourteen different Saints were a part of the overall 34 hit attack and 12 individuals drove in at least one run on a day in which the temperature got no higher than 43 degrees.  Jake Vera registered the most hits with five, while John McGuire, Luke Ketchum, and Jake LaSota were all one back with four hits each. The latter topped the RBI chart with five runs driven in on the day with Noah Kararo totaling four.

While McGuire extended his hitting streak to 14 games with his pair of hits in each contest Thursday, he also just missed out on his second straight complete game victory. He still gained the win but came up two outs short of going the distance.

Game 1: USF 15, Trinity International 3
The Saints put up five runs over the first two innings and had a 12-0 lead after four in coasting to the first game victory. Kararo brought home the most runs with his three runs batted in. Josh Kirnbauer and Vera each provided two RBIs. Vera was also a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate with two runs scored.

Kirnbauer, Ketchum, and McGuire registered two hits each. McGuire (3-3) did so, along with driving in one run, while also gaining the start on the mound. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowing only one earned run. His other numbers included three strikeouts against three walks with seven hits allowed, five of which came in the final two innings when he lost his shutout bid.  

Game 2: USF 20, Trinity International 2
The Saints' season-high run count was matched by a season best 20 hits as head coach Brian Michalak's club scored in six of seven innings. Like the first game, USF built up a 5-0 lead after two innings and led 13-0 after four innings.

The Saints set the tone for the game in the first inning when they hit for the cycle highlighted by Ketchum's long two-run home run to left center field. LaSota and Eric Maffie provided a run scoring double and triple, respectively, in the same inning.

It was just the start of a big second game for LaSota, who went 3 for 3 and drove in four runs. 

Twelve Saints in all collected at least one hit in the contest with McGuire, Ketchum, Vera, Sam Tumilty Alex Mielcarz, and Jonathan Wolf each authoring a pair. Wolf also connected on his second career home run with his two run shot to left field in the seventh inning.

Of USF's 20 total hits, 11 went for extra bases, including Ketchum's home run and double. Five of the extra base hits were doubles and two were triples.

Besides LaSota, Ketchum and Wolf, Maffie, and Tumilty also drove home multiple runs.

Colin Kelly tossed two scoreless innings to start the game and Kevin Kardas (1-2) worked the next four to pick up the victory. He allowed only one earned run and struck out a pair of batters. Mack Malczewski closed things out with a scoreless seventh inning.

Up Next
The Saints start a three game series with Judson University on Friday with the first pitch slated for 3 pm at Duly Health and Care Field. The final two games of the series take place in Elgin on Saturday.

Live coverage can be found at gofightingsaints.com/coverage. You can also keep up with all things USF on Twitter @USFSaints.