Last year, the SXU Baseball team had a great season. They finished with 34 wins and 17 losses, which allowed them to win their conference easily. However, the post-season left a lot to be desired as the Cougars lost their only two NAIA Tournament games against Union College and Indiana University Southeast.
Saint Xavier is looking to rectify that performance this year and they have a good chance of doing so. The Cougars start the season on February 1st, when they travel to Athens, Tennessee to play four games against the number one ranked team in the country, the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs.
After a little under a week off, the Cougars go to Marion, Indiana to play four games against the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats. The Cougars then take two weeks off before going back to Indiana to play a four-game set against the Grace College Lancers and the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils. Saint Xavier next plays in March, when they travel down to Florida to play in the week-long Florida Trip.
They kick off the trip on March 3rd & 4th when they play four games against the Keiser University Seahawks. They then travel to Babson Park, to play the 16th best team in the country, the Webber International Warriors in a two-game set. The Cougars then wrap up the first part of the Florida Trip when they play a two-game set against the Southeastern University Fire, who are ranked as the 4th best team in the country. Saint Xavier will then participate in the RussMatt Invite from March 8th to March 10th, which will wrap up the Florida Trip.
After a few road games against IU-South Bend, Calumet College, and Saint Ambrose, the SXU Cougars finally make their home debut on March 21st when they play the Saint Ambrose Bees in a two-game set. Next they travel to Crestwood to play against the Roosevelt Lakers before playing their second and third home games against the Lincoln College Lynx.
Saint Xavier will then make one of their final trips out of the state on March 29th, when they go to Grand Rapids, Michigan to play the Aquinas College Saints. After coming home from Grand Rapids, the Cougars play a three-game homestand against Olivet Nazarene University and Robert Morris University.
After a few more sets against some tough in-conference opposition, the Cougars wrap up their home schedule with a four-game home stand against St. Francis (IL) University, Roosevelt University, and Trinity Christian College. Wrapping up the season, the Cougars then play a three-game road trip against Trinity Christian and Olivet Nazarene. Saint Xavier will then participate in the CCAC Conference Tournament from May 1st to May 6th. If they do good enough in that tournament, they will advance to play in the NAIA Tournament for an opportunity to be crowned the champions of the NAIA.
The SXU Baseball team has never made it this far, but with the talent on this team, I believe that this team can be the first team in Saint Xavier history to hoist the NAIA World Series trophy.