JOLIET, Ill. --- Jake Vera's two-run single in the top of the tenth inning enabled the University of St. Francis baseball team to score a 5-3 first-game victory over St. Ambrose University before the Fighting Bees doubled up on USF 8-4 in the nightcap of a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader at Duly Health and Care Field Monday afternoon.

The Saints (7-17, 2-2 CCAC) opened both games with two-run first innings, but a four-run second inning by St. Ambrose did St. Francis in in Game 2.  SAU (6-16, 1-1) scored in four of the first five innings to gain the split decision.

Luke Ketchum led the Saints offensively with four hits over the two contests, three of which went for extra bases.  He was one of four St. Francis players to collect hits in each game.  The others were Nate Maliska (two hits), Brayan Hidalgo (three) and Vera (two).

On the mound, Mack Malczewski and Quinn McGuire combined to allow just one earned run in the opener.

Game 1: USF 5, St. Ambrose 3 --- 10 Innings
McGuire (2-1) had his best performance of the year, throwing four innings of scoreless relief, including all three of the extra innings.  He also allowed only two hits, while striking out three in gaining the victory. 

Malczewski was equally as effective over the first six innings, yielding just three hits and one walk, while striking out four batters.  Of the three runs that he allowed, two were unearned, including the one in the seventh inning that forced extra innings.

The Saints put together a two-out rally in the opening frame with singles by Josh Kirnbauer (2-for-5) and Hector Carrillo driving in the runs. 

St. Ambrose got those runs back in the fourth inning before St. Francis regained the edge 3-2 on back-to-back doubles from Ketchum and Eric Maffie to open the fifth inning.  The double was one of two in the contest for Maffie as part of a 3-for-4 game for him.

Vera's clutch hit came with the bases loaded after Kirnbauer opened the inning with a triple before John McGuire was hit by a pitch and Gio Pappas walked.

Game 2: St. Ambrose 8, USF 4
A two-out error in the top of the second inning turned a 3-2 St. Ambrose lead into a 5-2 advantage in the  second inning and the Fighting Bees never looked back courtesy of Noah McCreary at the top of the order (4-for-5, 3 runs, 3 RBIs).  McCreary was one of five Bees to produce multiple hits in the affair.

Ketchum (3-for-4) and Hidalgo (2-for-4) did the same for the Saints.  Ketchum closed the scoring for USF with his fourth home run of the season in the seventh inning.  He also had a double in USF's first inning when St. Francis scored twice to take a brief 2-1 lead.

The Saints' other run came on a John McGuire two-out single in the fifth inning.

Notes: Quinn McGuire's effort was his longest of the season.  He has now gone six innings without allowing a run over his last three relief appearances … With his hits in each end of the doubleheader, Maliska has now reached base in a club-high 11 straight games.  That eclipsed Ketchum's mark of ten games in a row to open the season … Maffie had his team-best nine game hitting streak snapped in Game 2, but he still had his streak of reaching base extended to 10 games when he was hit by a pitch in the third inning … Ketchum currently holds the longest hitting streak at eight games … The Saints host North Park University in a non-conference affair on Wednesday at 3 pm. 

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