The Saint Xavier baseball team made it home safely from a week-long trip to Florida, and opened up conference play for the 2016 season. Last weekend, the Cougars faced Trinity International University in a three game series.
The Cougars (7-10) traveled to Deerfield, Illinois on Friday, March 18 for their first Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) matchup against the Trojans of TIU.
Saint Xavier got off to a quick start by scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Freshman infielder David Storm got the rally going with a leadoff single.
Then, shortstop Agustin Guerrero followed Storm with a single of his own, and suddenly the Cougars were in business. With one out, junior Bryan Polak smashed a single to centerfield to drive in the game’s first run. After a single by sophomore outfielder Drey Devereaux, Polak later scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by freshman Garrett Bright.
Later, with runners on second and third with two outs, senior centerfielder Steve Carrabotta lined a pitch to right field. Carrabotta’s clutch two out single drove in two runs and increased Saint Xavier’s lead to five before starter Tyler Hebel stepped foot on the mound.
Hebel pitched well enough to win, but he will be the first to say it was not his best outing. The sophomore went 6.2 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) off nine Trinity International hits. The game got interesting in the bottom of the third, as the Trojans stormed back with four runs of their own.
However, TIU’s momentum was short lived as the Cougars responded with four runs of their own in the subsequent inning. The Cougars maintained a 9-6 lead as they entered the final frame, but two insurance runs provided by a mammoth home run by junior Mike Owens, took any hopes of a comeback away from the Trojans.
Saint Xavier won their CCAC conference opener 11-6. On Saturday, March 19, the Cougars welcomed Trinity International to Richard R. Ferrell Memorial Field for a doubleheader in what was Saint Xavier’s home opener.
Junior Jeremy Dryier got the start for Saint Xavier, and pitched valiantly. Unfortunately, Dryier was victim to an early ambush by the Trojans, as they scored two runs in each of the first two innings to put the Cougars in a hole.
Saint Xavier had trouble figuring out Trinity International pitcher Jiri Varusa throughout, and were not able to get on the scoreboard until the bottom of the fifth.
With the score sitting at 4-1 and Dryier still on the mound, Saint Xaiver attempted to mount a comeback. In the bottom of the sixth, the first two Cougar hitters reached base.
Runners stood on first and third with one out when Mike Owens came through with an RBI single to cut the deficit in half. Garrett Bright followed Owens’ RBI with one of his own, scoring Constantino on a sacrifice fly.
The Cougars game themselves a chance at stealing game two by chipping away at the Trojan lead in the sixth, but unfortunately, Trinity International had other plans. The Trojans responded with two runs of their own in the top half of the final frame.
Despite a late rally attempt by the Cougars, Saint Xavier fell short and lost game two 6-3. Game three was a nine inning affair in which starting pitcher Matthew McKenzie went the distance. It was a gutsy performance and one Saint Xavier needed.
McKenzie fired a complete game shutout, scattering seven hits and striking out five Trojan batters. McKenzie’s offense backed him up early, as the Cougars scored a run in each of the first two frames.
Standing on third base with two outs, Drey Devereaux made a break down the line and safely stole home. In the second inning, Saint Xavier scored a run on a Alex Neufeld sacrifice fly.
A two run lead for Matthew McKenzie on this day was enough, as the left-hander kept Trojan hitters off balanced all afternoon. Despite instances in the third and sixth innings in which McKenzie danced out of trouble, Trinity International was relatively quiet on offense in game two.
The Cougars played sound defense on the afternoon as well that helped back their starter. In the end, Saint Xavier managed to take game two 4-0. Second baseman Garrett Bright, right fielder Steve Carrabotta and centerfielder Alex Neufeld each had strong performances on offense in the nine inning affair.
Bright had two hits and scored two runs, while Carrabotta notched two hits and a run scored. Neufeld had a hit to his credit, but totaled three big RBI in the contest that ultimately propelled Saint Xavier to a victory.
Saint Xavier finished their first conference matchup winning two out of three games, improving their overall record to 9-11. Their next game will be a conference matchup at home against the University of Saint Francis on March 23.
Mike Rankin
Sports Editor
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