CINCINNATI – The Saint Xavier University baseball team (5-9/0-0 CCAC) took two of three games from Miami University-Hamilton (Ohio) this weekend in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Cougars won Saturday afternoon 13-3 behind a four-RBI performance by sophomore outfielder Kevin Dowling (Chicago, Ill./Murray State/Mount Carmel). SXU split its doubleheader Sunday afternoon, falling in game one by a score of 2-1 that saw senior infielder Patrick Doran (Evergreen Park, Ill./NC Central/DuPage/South Suburban/Evergreen Park) hit his first home run of the season. Saint Xavier bounced back with a four-hit combined shutout from sophomore pitcher Tommy Dougherty (Alsip, Ill./South Suburban/Shepard), sophomore Noah Scott (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) and junior Brendan Gill (Evergreen Park, Ill./Moraine Valley/Mount Carmel).

Game One:

• Dowling finished 1-for-4 with two runs, a double and a walk.
• Junior outfielder Daniel Barrios (Manteno, Ill./Manteno) was 3-for-3 with four runs, a double, an RBI and a walk.
• Junior catcher Evan Orzech (Shorewood, Ill./Crossroads Christian Academy) collected three hits in four at-bats with an RBI and a run scored.
• Doran was 2-for-5 with two RBI.
• Sophomore pitcher Nico Saldias (Ajax, Ontario/Connors State/Pickering) made his fourth start of the season, throwing 4.0 innings with four hits, three runs, two walks and four strikeouts.
• Sophomore pitcher Logan McCleery (Patterson, Calif./Patterson) earned the win (1-0) after 3.0 innings of relief. He allowed just one hit and had one strikeout.
• Freshman Carter Kopp (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Bishop James Mahoney) made his collegiate debut in the bottom of the 8^th and gave up two hits.
• The Harriers struck first with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 1^st.
• The Cougars responded with four runs in the next half inning. Senior designated hitter Joe Rycerz (Schererville, Ind./Andrean) clubbed an RBI double and scored on an RBI single by Barrios. Dowling drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Barrios would come around to score on an error.
• Miama-Hamilton made it a one-run game after a two-run double in the bottom of the 3^rd.
• Orzech lined an RBI single to center in the top of the 5^th. Doran pulled a two-run single to rightfield and senior infielder Sam Ryan (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Conant) picked up an RBI on a squeeze bunt for an 8-3 lead.
• Senior outfielder Collin Woulfe (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) & Dowling each scored on wild pitches in the top of the 6^th.
• Dowling ripped a two-run double in the top of the 8^th, and he would score on another wild pitch to cap the scoring.

Game Two:

• Doran went 2-for-3 with a double along with his home run.
• Barrios finished 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and a walk, while Ryan also went 1-for-2.
• Junior pitcher Julian Vargas (Tinley Park, Ill./Tinley Park) suffered the loss (0-3) after going 5.0 innings with five hits, two runs and striking out four batters.
• Freshman Heath Mann (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) worked a clean inning out of the bullpen.
• MUH broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the 4^th with an RBI base hit and would go up 2-0 in the bottom of the 5^th on a two-out RBI single.
• Doran cracked a two-out home run in the top of the 6^th.
• SXU had the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base in the top of the 7^th, but a strikeout ended the game.

Game Three:

• Ryan went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run.
• Senior infielder Darren Zarrillo (Grapevine, Texas/Frank Phillips/Grapevine) also had two RBI in three at-bats with a base hit and a run scored.
• Freshman catcher Aaron Orzech (Shorewood, Ill./Crossroads Christian Academy) collected three hits in four trips to the plate.
• Senior infielder Declan Smyth (Evergreen Park, Ill./North Central/Evergreen Park) was 1-for-3 with two runs and a walk.
• Dougherty improved to 3-0 on the mound this year after logging 5.0 innings with just three hits allowed and two strikeouts.
• Scott struck out two batters and gave up a walk in an inning of work.
• Gill pitched the bottom of the 7^th and surrendered a hit, a walk and had two strikeouts.
• Saint Xavier plated three runs in the top of the 2^nd. Woulfe laced an RBI single to left field, Ryan hit an RBI single to center and senior Sean Haddlesey (Ann Arbor, Mich./Albion/Skyline) lifted a sacrifice fly.
• Zarrillo roped an RBI single in the top of the 3^rd and Ryan tallied his second RBI of the game with an infield single.
• With the bases loaded in the top of the 7^th, Zarrillo drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Smyth scored later in the inning on a wild pitch.

Saint Xavier (5-9/0-0 CCAC) makes its way to Fayette, Mo. for a spilt doubleheader on Friday, March 3. They take on No. 14 Central Methodist University (Mo.) at 10:00 am, followed by a matchup with No. 12 MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) at 1:00 pm.