The Saint Xavier University Cougar baseball team began their season on Saturday and Sunday with two double-headers against the Georgetown College (Ky.) Tigers.
The Tigers (ranked No. 23 in the NAIA top-25 coaches’ preseason poll) swept the unranked Cougars, dropping their very early season record to 0-4. The double-header on Sunday consisted of an eight- and a six-inning game.
Saint Xavier was competitive in the first game, losing 3-1. Their second game on Saturday was a 7-0 defeat.
On Sunday, the Cougars again had the chance to win, this time losing just 3-2 in eight innings. They backed that performance up with a less competitive 6-2 loss in six innings.
The Tigers’ pitchers held the Cougars to just three hits as a team in the first game on Saturday. Senior pitcher Scott Vachon went the distance and likewise allowed just three hits, but he gave up three runs (one earned). Three errors in the bottom of the sixth undid the Cougars, allowing the two runs that would ultimately beat them.
In the second game of the double-header, senior pitcher Dan Maton struggled. He gave up just one hit, but the Tigers scored six earned runs in his two innings on the mound behind six walks.
Senior pitcher Chris Klein pitched well in the first game on Sunday. He gave up just two runs (one earned) on seven hits in six innings of work, walking none. Junior pitcher Dan Wetzel gave up the walk-off double in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Sophomore Alec Barnhart provided the only runs of the game with a two-run blast in the top of the fifth that put Saint Xavier up until Georgetown tied it up in their half of the sixth inning.
Senior first baseman Thomas Keating provided the only offense Saint Xavier would get in the second game on Sunday, singling in the top of the fifth to drive in Barnhart and freshman third baseman Bryan Polak.
The Cougars continue their early season on Saturday and Sunday with double-headers at Culver-Stockton College (Mo.).
They will not start their schedule in Illinois until a double-header at Trinity Christian College on March 22. Their home schedule will begin on March 23 with a double-header against Davenport University.
Tim Carroll
Senior Sports Editor