Titans unable to avoid doubleheader sweep at St. Francis

JOILET, Ill. – IU South Bend opened the final week of the regular season on Wednesday afternoon, as the Titans dropped the first two of a six-game stretch of a push for a CCAC Tournament spot to St. Francis, 2-1 in game one and 6-2 in game two.
The Titans (12-29-1, 6-19-1 CCAC) took the lead in the top of the 4th, with a two-out rally beginning with singles from Jake Vanderwoude and Kole Miller. A St. Francis error would allow Vanderwoude to score to give IUSB the 1-0 advantage. Three base hits for the Saints (25-23, 20-7 CCAC) in the bottom half of the inning would even the score however, and the Titans would be held without a hit the rest of the game.
St. Francis took the win in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the 7th, as an error and walk put a runner in scoring position on the walk-off base hit.
Vanderwoude led the Titan offense, going 2-for-2 with a walk and run in the game. Robbie Berger pitched all 6.1 innings for IUSB, striking out five with just one earned run allowed.
In the second game of the day, the Saints would go up 1-0 in the bottom of the 2nd by taking advantage of a pair of errors from the Titan defense. The home team would double their lead in the 6th, then add four more run in the bottom of the 7th for a 6-0 lead. IU South Bend would get on the scoreboard in the top of the 8th, after Brett Sikorski singled and later came home on A.J. Rosebush’s two-out RBI base hit.
Colin Mack, Hunter Bedell, and Tony Reyes all singled to lead off the 9th inning, and a sac fly from Brenden Bell brought in a run but the rally would end there as the Saints closed out the doubleheader sweep.
Reyes and Mack each went 2-for-4 in the game, while Donnie Necas had the Titans’ lone extra-base hit with his 5th inning double. Starting pitcher Alex Babbit threw six innings with just one earned run allowed while striking out nine, while Zach Brooks Dehn and Max Govert combined for 1.2 shutout innings out of the bullpen.
The Titans return to Rex Weade Stadium for a four-game homestand to wrap up the regular season, beginning Friday, April 29 when they host Lincoln for the first of a three-game set. First pitch with the Lynx is set for 3:00 p.m.