The Saint Xavier baseball team has had a tough go of their early season, jumping out to a 4-12 record.
Following a four-game sweep at the hands of then-No. 23-ranked Georgetown College (Ky.) and picking up their first win of the season, the Cougars made a trip down to Florida.
On that trip, the Saint Xavier team ran into some stiff competition, but the team did pick up one blowout win against a ranked team.
The Cougars played No. 25 Ave Maria University and came away with an 11-0 win after seven innings of play last Tuesday.
Senior right fielder Chris Klein led the team in that game with a 4-for-5 showing at the plate to drive in four runs. He also scored two more runs.
Klein, who pitches when he is not in right field, is 0-1 in three games started this year. He has a respectable 3.38 ERA in 18.2 innings pitched.
Freshman pitcher Jesse Lopez dominated Ave Maria. He went the full seven innings and gave up just five hits and one walk to go along with his six strikeouts.
Lopez, who has appeared in three other games beside the start, is 1-1 with a 0.79 ERA and is holding opponents to a .211 batting average in his 11.1 innings pitched.
The Cougars’ most recent victory against Aquinas College came behind another strong offensive performance.
Klein again went 4-for-5, driving in a run and scoring two others. Senior first baseman Thomas Keating was the leading run producer, knocking three runs home and scoring another while going 2-for-4 with a walk.
Sophomore outfielder Jim Augle was also an offensive force. He went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.
Saint Xavier lost the next game against Aquinas College and another to Saint Ambrose before packing up and heading home.
The Cougars will play their first game in Illinois on Saturday in a double-header at Trinity Christian College.
Their home opener will be on Sunday. They are scheduled for a double-header against Davenport University with the first game beginning at 1 p.m. at Richard R. Ferrell Memorial Field.
Tim Carroll
Senior Sports Editor