CHICAGO --- University of St. Francis' magic number eight popped up yet again in the most dramatic of ways Thursday afternoon when Jake Klepacz delivered a walk-off grand slam to right field to send the Fighting Saints to a stirring 8-6 come-from-behind victory over Trinity Christian College to open the 2024 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament.

The second straight walk-off home run for USF at Duly Health & Care Field extended its unbeaten streak to 19 games when scoring eight or more runs this season.  It also put an end to a contest that lasted close to four hours, including a pair of nearly one-hour rain delays.

Trinity Christian (25-26) looked poised to author the first upset of the tournament just one inning earlier when Brian Huttner delivered a two-out, three-run home run to left field to put the Trolls up 5-4.  They then extended the lead to 6-4 on a wild pitch in the ninth inning.

The Saints (26-19) started their rally with one out in the bottom of the frame when leadoff batter John McGuire hit a double down the left field line.  Josh Kirnbauer, who had the walk-off on Senior Day just five days earlier, followed with a walk and Nate Maliska loaded the bases with his infield single to the right side.

Klepacz, who recorded his first home run as a Saint in the same game as Kirnbauer's winner, notched his second on the first pitch the left-handed batter saw in St. Francis' last at-bat.  The rally was the second of the afternoon for USF, which also trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning.

McGuire started that three-run comeback as well with his leadoff home run.  The other two runs in that inning scored on a Maliska single and a Drew Dant groundout.  The Saints made it a 4-2 game in the fourth inning when Cliff Vickers also powered up for a home run to open that frame.  The first of two rain delays followed shortly thereafter.

Starter Ryan Daly and first reliever Mack Malczewski both pitched well.  Daly went the first four innings before the initial rain delay ended his afternoon.  Malczewski then tossed the next three scoreless innings before the second delay, while allowing only one hit.  Zac Blazekovich (3-0) gained the win by pitching the final 1 1/3 innings.

Maliska paced USF's 15-hit attack with his four singles.  Klepacz provided another three in his five at-bats, while McGuire and Jake Merda each put up a pair of hits.

Notes: Maliska' four-hit contest was the first of his career … The three home-run game was the third of the season for the Saints … Klepacz's four-RBI game was the second of the campaign for him … The only down note to the day was Dant's 31-game streak of reaching base coming to an end … The Saints will have to wait until Friday to find out who their next foe will be after the Olivet Nazarene University-Saint Xavier University matchup was pushed back to Friday morning (10 am) due to Thursday's unsettling weather.  USF will meet the loser of that contest at 4 pm on Friday.  

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