JOLIET, Ill. --- Alex Martinez, Eric Maffie and Nate Maliska all registered three hits at the top of the order and the University of St. Francis baseball team rallied to take the rubber game of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference series against Trinity Christian College by a 10-7 count on Saturday afternoon at Duly Health and Care Field.

The win moved the Saints (19-24, 14-8 CCAC) into a tie for second place in the league standings with Saint Xavier University, while both Trinity Christian (20-22, 14-9) and Olivet Nazarene University slipped one-half game behind USF following their losses.  St. Ambrose University maintained the top spot, one game ahead of both St. Francis and Saint Xavier.

Both teams took advantage of shoddy defensive play by the opposition early on to post multiple runs.  Two of USF's three runs in the first inning came on a Trinity Christian miscue, while the Saints returned the favor one-half inning later with their error resulting in three unearned runs for the guests.

The Trolls added two more unearned runs in a three-run fourth inning to go up 6-3 before St. Francis turned the game around with its five-run fourth inning.  Maffie (double) and Maliska (single) delivered the big hits back-to-back with each driving in a pair of runs to put the Saints up 8-6.

Trinity Christian would make it a one-run game in the sixth inning only to have Luke Ketchum and Jake Vera (two hits) respond with sacrifice flies in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to account for the final runs of the contest.  For Ketchum, it was his second RBI of the afternoon.

Quinn McGuire came on in relief of his older brother John in securing the victory and evening his record out at 3-3.  He went three innings, allowing just one run.

Ryan Daly made his season debut and registered his second collegiate save after tossing two scoreless innings.  He struck out two batters and allowed one hit.

Notes: The baseball program recognized its eight senior members prior to the game.  That list was made up of Hector Carrillo, Kevin Kardas, Ketchum, LaSota, Maffie, Marshall McDonnell, Gio Pappas and Vera … The Saints are now 11-0 on the season when scoring 10 or more runs … After dropping its first five home games of the season, St. Francis has won six in a row at Duly Health and Care Field to put itself at 10-11 at home for the year … LaSota's triple in the seventh inning was his first of the season and third of his career.  He was one of five Saints to have a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 ... USF heads back up to Deerfield on Sunday for a 2 pm makeup game with the Trojans.  

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