JOLIET, Ill. --- A pitching gem from Sean Michalak and a five-run uprising in the top of the ninth inning left the University of St. Francis baseball team as one of only two remaining undefeated teams in the 2024 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament following its 6-1 victory over Saint Xavier University Friday afternoon at Duly Health and Care Field.

After notching only four hits through the first six innings of the contest, the Saints (27-19) sent ten men to the plate in their final at-bat with five of the first six batters reaching base.  Jake Klepacz, who had the walk-off grand slam in the first game of the tournament, got things started with his single to center field.  One out later, back-to-back walks to Brayan Hidalgo and Jake Merda had the bases loaded.

Wildness continued for the Saint Xavier pitching staff when Cliff Vickers was hit by a pitch to force home the go-ahead run.  Dan Gusel and John McGuire followed with run-scoring singles to make it a 4-1 lead.  The final two runs scored on a Josh Kirnbauer fielder's choice and a Nate Maliska two-out single.

McGuire, Klepacz and Hidalgo each had two hits in the contest.

Meanwhile, an efficient Sean Michalak was handling the Saint Xavier lineup.  In the longest stint of his career, Michalak required just 81 pitches to toss his first career, nine-inning complete game.  The junior right-hander scattered six hits and did not allow a walk, while striking out three batters.  He also permitted just four baserunners to get into scoring position.

The only run Michalak did allow came in the third inning, where Saint Xavier (27-25) had two of its hits with the run coming home on a sacrifice fly.  His only other real jam came in the sixth inning when he had a runner at third base and only one out.  A rundown on a fielder's choice between home and third base would get the lead runner out and the Saints would complete the rare double play when the batter attempted to go to second base on the play.

The Saints used that defensive momentum to spur their offense. With just two hits through the first six innings, Klepacz got the rally started again with his double to open the seventh inning.  He eventually went to third on a passed ball before crossing the plate on Hidalgo's one-out double.

Notes: Michalak's previous longest stint was 7 1/3 innings earlier this spring … Klepacz's multi-hit game was his 20th of the season, tying him with Drew Dant for the team lead … The Saints meet Olivet Nazarene University, the only other remaining unbeaten in the tournament, today at 1 pm.  

Links to live coverage can be found at gofightingsaints.com/coverage. You can also keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on Twitter @USFSaints.