JOLIET, Ill. --- Drew Dant's big day helped the University of St. Francis baseball team gain a split of its Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader with St. Ambrose University on Saturday afternoon as the Fighting Saints rallied from seven runs down to score a 10-9 first-game victory.  St. Ambrose made sure the same story did not unfold in the nightcap as the Fighting Bees doubled their run count with an 18-5 victory.

Dant played a role in three of the four innings in which the Saints scored in the come-from-behind win.  He drove in four runs as part of a 3-for-4 game before collecting two more hits in the nightcap.

Nate Maliska also authored a pair of multi-hit contests with his 5-for-6 day, which included two runs batted in.

Game 1: USF 10, St. Ambrose 9
Trailing 9-2 after St. Ambrose (7-9, 1-3 CCAC) put up four runs in the top of the fourth inning, USF started its comeback in the bottom of the inning with Dant delivering an RBI single and eventually scoring himself on a wild pitch.

One inning later, the Saints doubled their run count to pull to within 9-8.  A hit batsman and walk to open the inning started the rally with Maliska's single driving home the first run.  Brayan Hidalgo added a sacrifice fly two batters later before Dant unloaded with a two-run home run to left field.

Maliska also came up clutch in the seventh inning when he opened the frame with a double to left centerfield.  Brent Blitek came on to pinch run for him and scored the game-tying run on Hidalgo's second RBI of the game on a single to left field.  Max Montgomery then came on to pinch run for Hidalgo and raced around the bases to score the game-winning run on John McGuire's two-out, walk-off bloop double to left centerfield.

Besides Dant's three-hit game, which fell a double short of the cycle, Maliska and Hidalgo each provided a pair of hits.

USF's bullpen also played an important role in the comeback.  Luke Guenther finally shut off the scoring valve on the Bees with his two innings of scoreless relief and a pair of strikeouts.  Ryan Daly (3-1) added the final scoreless inning, allowing the Saints to pull off the improbable win.

Game 2: St. Ambrose 18, USF 5
For the second game in a row, St. Ambrose built a 9-2 lead after four innings, but this time did not take the pedal off the gas, doubling its run count with a nine-run fifth inning.  Noah McCreary had a big game for the Bees, hitting two home runs, including a grand slam, as part of a 3-for-5, 5-RBI game for him.  Joey Fitzgerald drove in another four runs with three more hits.

The Saints (4-11, 2-2) nearly matched St. Ambrose's 16-hit attack with 15 of their own from 11 different batters, but USF could manage only five runs, while leaving nine runners on base.  Maliska was a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple included, while Jake Klepacz and Dant each registered a pair of hits.

Notes: The Saints set a trio of team season highs on Saturday with their 10 runs and seven walks in the opener and their 15 hits in the nightcap … Dant boosted his season batting average to an even .400 with the 5-for-7 day at the plate.  He also became the first USF player this year to total four runs batted in in a single game.  His three multi-RBI games this year have now been of the two, three and four variety … Maliska authored his first three-hit game of the season and both him and Dant now have a team-leading five multi-hit games on the year … Alex Martinez extended his streak of reaching base to ten games with his walk in the first game and single in the second contest … Ethan Fleming recorded his first collegiate hit in Game 2, while Will Calcaterra produced his first RBI as a Saint … USF's scheduled makeup doubleheader with St. Ambrose on Sunday was pushed back to April 1 due to expected sub-freezing temperatures.

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