IUSB Baseball Splits Weekend Series Against Saint Xavier

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Indiana University South Bend Baseball team (11-17, 7-7 CCAC) split their weekend conference series with Saint Xavier University (11-15, 4-6) losing both games on Friday 6-2 and 19-9 and taking both games Saturday 8-4 and 3-2.
Game 1 (L 6-2)
The Titans played host Friday afternoon looking to continue their winning ways from the midweek doubleheader on Tuesday. IUSB got on the board first scoring one run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Saint Xavier responded immediately with three runs of their own in the top of the fourth inning. The Titans got a run back in the bottom half of the inning to make it a 3-2 game after four innings of play. SXU added another run in the top of the fifth inning and two more runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Titans couldn’t get anything going offensively in their last three at bats lifting SXU to a 6-2 game one win. Clint Goodman and Lucas Brown were each 2-3 at the plate with Goodman adding an RBI. Josh McCormick picked up the loss on the mound in his 2.1 innings of relief giving up 4 runs, 4 earned, on 4 hits and no strikeouts
Game 2 (L 19-9)
Game two of the series was all SXU as they scored a run in every inning that ended up only being a seven inning affair due to the mercy rule. The Cougars scored three runs in the first inning, one run in the second, one run in the third, five runs in the fourth, one run in the fifth, two runs in the sixth, and six runs in the seventh. The Titan pitching staff allowed 12 free bases in the game, which continually came back to bite them. IUSB showed some fight late thanks to some SXU free bases scoring two runs in the fifth, three runs in the sixth, and three runs in the seventh, but it was too little too late as SXU cruised to a 19-9 win. Gabe Cortez led the offense for the Titans going 3-4 with 3 RBI’s. The Titans sent eight different pitchers to the mound, but it was starter Josh Vis who got the loss going 2.0 innings giving 4 runs, 4 earned, on 6 hits and 1 strikeout.
Game 3 (W 8-4)
Day two was moved to Saint Xavier University due to low temps in the South Bend area, however the Titans stayed the home team on the scoreboard. IUSB got out to an early 4-0 lead scoring two runs in the second inning and two more in the third inning. SXU chipped away and tied the game up at 4-4 scoring one run in the fifth inning and three runs in the sixth inning. The Titans responded with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull away 8-4 and take game three of the series. Kaleb Farnham led the way for the Titan offense going 3-3 with 3 doubles and 2 RBI’s. Gabe Cortez gave the Titan pitching staff the lift they needed in his start going 5.2 innings giving up 4 runs, 2 earned, on 7 hits and 1 strikeout. Connor Roark picked up the win in relief throwing 1.1 innings not allowing a single baserunner to extinguish the SXU offense.
Game 4 (W 3-2)
In the rubber match of the series a pitcher’s duel between both teams came down to the wire. Both teams were scoreless through five innings of play until the Titans took the lead 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Kaleb Farnham sacrifice fly. The Titans added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on a SXU error and a Jack Ryan RBI sacrifice bunt. The Titan pitching staff held SXU scoreless through eight innings, but SXU got the bats going with just three outs left. SXU pushed two runs across to make it a one run game with runners on first and third base. SXU attempted a bunt and popped it up, allowing the Titan defense to double off the runner at first base and the game to leave the Cougars stunned walking away with series split. The Titan offense only mustered four hits in the game, two of which came from Lucas Brown in his 2-3 efforts at the plate. Starting pitcher Andrew Parker was masterful on the mound throwing 6.0 shutout innings only giving up 3 hits, and striking out 4 while picking up the win. Jack Kienzle picked up the save throwing 1.0 inning giving up two hits and striking out one. With that save Kienzle now has the IUSB career record for saves in a career with 10.
The Titans move to 7-7 in CCAC play just before the halfway mark of conference play, sitting in tie for fifth place. IUSB returns to action on Wednesday March 26th when they travel to Madonna University for a non-conference midweek doubleheader, first pitch is set for 12pm Eastern Time.