JOLIET, Ill. -- The University of St. Francis baseball team recorded eight hits and scored in four of six Game 2 innings, but St. Ambrose University (Iowa) was able to post 18 runs and 17 hits of their own in Game 1 resulting in the two teams settling for a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader split with its 18-3 and 8-2 game scores on Monday afternoon.

Four Saints in total recorded hits on both sides of the doubleheader.  Ryan Louthan (3-for-6, 4 RBI), Dominik Alberico (3-for-8, 3 RBI) and Max Montgomery (3-for-9, 2 RBI) led all hitters, while Jake Merda (2-for-6,  RBI, 2 BB) collected two hits and two walks for the Saints.

Game 1:  St. Ambrose 18, USF 3
After spotting St. Ambrose seven runs over the first five innings of play, St. Francis would get on the board in the bottom half of the sixth frame off a Louthan two-RBI single before the guests responded by scoring four more times in the top of the seventh to mark the score at 11-2.  Nate Maliska would plate Montgomery one half inning later, but the Bees ended things with a bang with a seven-run ninth inning.  The seven runs in that final frame came on three walks, a hit batsman and three hits, including a two-out grand slam with 10 Bees coming to bat.

Louthan and Mitchell Thomas each delivered a pair of hits with Dylan Scafuri and Maliska joining Montgomery in scoring a run.

Nick Huspen authored his second straight scoreless outing in relief for the Saints, allowing just one hits over 2.0 innings pitched.  Zac Blazekovich picked up the loss, dropping his overall record to 0-3 on the season.

Game 2:  USF 9, St. Ambrose 2
Aided by three multiple-run innings, six Saint players in all recorded at least one hit in the contest, in St. Francis' 9-2 Game 2 victory.

After scoring three runs in the first inning, the hosts spotted St. Ambrose a single run in the second before responding by scoring four more runs by the competition of the third frame.  The Saints later scored two of the final three runs of the contest across the final four innings.

Montgomery and Louthan each had a pair of hits as part of USF's eight-hit attack.  Montgomery (2), Louthan (2) and Alberico (3) all drove in multiple runs each.

Alberico collected two of his three RBIs in the first inning, before capping his offensive day off in the sixth with a RBI-double in the left center gap.  Louthan also had a two-RBI base hit in the second inning and joined three other Saints in securing a hit in that frame.

Montgomery authored RBI base hits in the second and third innings, while Merda recorded his first triple of the year to drive home Maliska in the sixth.

Michael Leonard took credit for the win on the mound, upping his record to 2-3 on the year.  Jacob Jurka and Cody Nold combined to work the final two innings in relief, with the duo retiring six of the nine batters they faced.

Up Next
USF takes on Judson University in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader on Friday, April 3 at 1 pm at Slammers Stadium

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