BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- After enduring a 6-3 first game setback, the University of St. Francis baseball team rebounded to earn a split on the day with an 8-1 win in the nightcap of its Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader with Olivet Nazarene University on Friday afternoon at Watson Field in Bourbonnais, Ill.

A two-out Olivet Nazarene (8-16, 4-6 CCAC) rally in the first inning of Game 1 opened the floodgates for the hosts, who scored three runs total in the frame, all of which were earned as a result of a walk and four straight hits.

In the nightcap, the Saints (10-13, 7-2) trailed 1-0 until a big sixth inning consisting of four hits and two walks produced five runs in aiding in their 8-1 win.

Ryan Louthan (3-for-5, 2 BB, 1 RBI), Mitchell Thomas (3-for-8, 2 RBI), Jake Merda (2-for-5, 1 BB) and Nate Maliska (2-for-8, 1 RBI) all registered hits in each end of the doubleheader with Ethan Fleming also driving in two runs on the day.

Game 1:  Olivet Nazarene 6, USF 3
The Saints jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning only to see their lead quickly disappear in the bottom half of the same frame after Olivet countered with three runs of its own.

St. Francis eventually cut its deficit to one after plating a single run in the fifth inning after Max Montgomery pushed Thomas via a groundout to second base, with Dylan Scafuri adding an additional run for the Saints in the eighth after ONU rallied to plate three runs between the sixth and seventh innings.

Jack Otis (3-2) was saddled with the loss on the mound, giving up three earned runs off six hits and three walks across four innings of work.

Game 2:  USF 8, Olivet Nazarene 1
After scoring a run off back-to-back two-out hits to jump out in front with a 1-0 lead, the Tigers were cruising along until USF's five-run uprising in the sixth inning.  Four Saints' hits combined with two free passes from the ONU pitching staff resulted in the guests turning a 0-1 deficit into a 5-1 lead.

The Saints then tacked on three additional insurance runs in the seventh.  Fleming pushed home Merda for the first run of the frame with Noah Munson connecting for a base hit to score Louthan before Rosales was credited with the final RBI on a successful squeeze bunt to plate Fleming.

Starting pitcher Anthony Panzella picked up the complete game victory upping his season record to 4-1.  The senior would allow six hits against no walks in his seven innings of work.

Up Next
The Saints will be at home on Saturday (March 21) to complete the four-game series against Olivet Nazarene University.  First pitch is at 1 pm at Slammers Stadium.

You can keep up with all things USF on X @USFSaints.