Senior C/IF Aaron Orzech #34 at bat
SXU Athletics
With a 7-5 record the Saint Xavier University (SXU) baseball team looked to extend their six game win streak as they welcomed Aquinas College (Mich.) for their first home games of the season.
On a sunny Friday afternoon, the Cougars had their backs against the wall early on as they were facing a 4-0 deficit through the first inning and a half. In the bottom of the 2nd, SXU would cut the deficit in half after a bases loaded walk and a RBI groundout.
Down 4-2 in the 3rd Aquinas College would add to the lead with a solo homer, but that lead would not last long as junior IF/OF, Ben Meier, would hit a three-run homer to even things out at five through the first three innings.
Through the next three innings, the floodgates would open as the Cougars went on to score seven unanswered runs which included a pair of home runs from senior C/IF Aaron Orzech.
Despite a four-run 7th inning from Aquinas College to make it a 12-9 game, it would only fuel the Cougars offense as they added seven more runs to apply the 10 run rule, ending the game and securing their seventh straight win.
In Game 2 of the series, SXU started right where they left off in the previous game, taking an early 1-0 lead in the 1st inning. The lead would hold up until the 3rd inning after a single up the middle would tie things up at 1.
In the top of the fifth inning a two run double would give Aquinas College a 3-1 lead, putting the Cougars win streak in jeopardy with just 9 outs left.
Junior pitcher Cole Martz kept the Cougars in the game even though he gave up three runs—two earned—he managed to minimize the damage by striking out eleven and only walking one through six strong innings of work.
The stage was set for yet another comeback win for SXU after three straight walks to begin the bottom of the seventh. Orzech would hit a grounder to the shortstop but after a throwing error it allowed for two runs to score and tie the game up at three.
On the very next pitch, junior infielder John Simeck would single up the middle to give the Cougars their eighth straight win and improve their season record to 9-5.
Through the first 14 games of the season, the Cougars currently sit in 2nd place in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) behind Judson University.
They will play one more game on Tuesday, March 3 against Indiana University Kokomo in Kokomo, IN before opening conference play against St. Ambrose University at home on Friday, March 6 at noon.