JOLIET, Ill. --- Seven runs over the final two innings, including four on a pair of eighth-inning two-run home runs, enabled Indiana University South Bend to stun the top-seeded University of St. Francis baseball team 11-7 in a winner's bracket matchup at the 2023 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament on Friday afternoon.

The big innings were two of three produced by the Titans, who fell behind 5-0 in the top of the second inning, but got right back into the contest with a three-run bottom half of the inning.  USF (25-25) managed just two more runs after its initial outburst, while leaving ten runners stranded on the bases.

Five of St. Francis' runs came after two outs, including four in the second inning.  John McGuire doubled home the game's first run before Alex Martinez followed a bit later with a two-run single and Eric Maffie a run-scoring single.  Luke Ketchum also walked with the bases loaded to make it 5-0.

Each of Indiana South Bend's first four runs and six of its first seven also scored after two outs, including all three in the second inning.  The Titans (23-23) eventually forced a seven-all tie with three runs in the seventh inning supported by two walks and a hit batsman.

The two home runs came among the first four batters to reach base to open the eighth inning.

USF's other two runs to put the Saints back up by three runs each time came on a Josh Kirnbauer double in the fifth inning and a Jake Vera fielder's choice in the seventh inning.

Eight Saints in all contributed to their 11-hit attack, including two each from Nate Maliska, Brayan Hidalgo and McGuire.

Eight of Indiana South Bend's 14 hits came over its final three innings.

The loss sent the Saints to the elimination bracket, where they will need to win twice on Saturday to extend their stay in the tournament.  That begins with a 10 am date versus No. 2-seeded St. Ambrose University at 10 am.

Notes: The loss snapped both a season-high seven-game winning streak as well as nine straight successes at home for the Saints … McGuire, Ketchum and Hidalgo all reached base safely at least once on Friday to extend their streaks in that category to 13 straight games … Maffie, Maliska and Hidalgo also now have respective 10-, 8- and 7-game hitting streaks, which are season highs for each of them.   

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