JOLIET, Ill. --- A pair of three-run innings were not enough for the University of St. Francis baseball team as Mount Mercy University rallied for seven unanswered runs over the final five innings to gain a 9-7, 10-inning victory over the Fighting Saints on Saturday afternoon at Duly Health & Care Field.

Three of Mount Mercy's runs were unearned, including the one to force extra innings in the ninth.  The Mustangs' final two runs were set up by a pair of walks.

In a game that included eight errors, the Saints (5-5) also took advantage of Mount Mercy miscues with each of their first three runs in the opening inning and one more in a three-run fifth inning being unearned.  John McGuire and Brayan Hidalgo made the visitors pay for their mistakes with two-out singles in the first inning.  McGuire drove home the first run and Hidalgo the next two one batter later to put the Saints up 3-0.

Mount Mercy (3-6) eventually cut the deficit in half (4-2) in the top of the fifth inning before the Saints plated three more runs in the bottom half of the inning.  McGuire doubled home one of the runs with Hector Carrillo adding a run-scoring single.

Mount Mercy answered that half inning with a three-run frame of its own one-half inning later.  The Mustangs then completed the rally with the single run in the ninth and the two in the tenth.

Carrillo led USF's 11-hit attack with three singles in five at bats.  McGuire and Jake Vera both went 2-for-5.

USF starting pitcher Sam Pileggi went the first five innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run.

Notes: The Saints stretched their streak of double-figure hits to five game with their 11 on Saturday … Game-time temperature was 35 degrees with a wind chill making it feel like 27 … The two teams wrap up their three-game set on Sunday with a doubleheader (1-7, 1-9) beginning at noon.   

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