Athens, Tenn. – Sophomore pitcher Nico Saldias (Ajax, Ontario/Connors State/Pickering) worked 5.0 solid innings, allowing just four hits, two runs (one earned), two walks and striking out four batters, however the Saint Xavier University baseball team (0-1/0-0 CCAC) came up short, falling to No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan University in the 2023 season opener for both teams Friday afternoon at Athens Insurance Stadium in Athens, Tenn. The SXU bullpen did well, giving up just one run (unearned) and two hits after Saldias exited the game.

• Senior infielder Declan Smyth (Evergreen Park, Ill./North Central/Evergreen Park) finished 1-for-2 at the plate and drew a walk. He notched a hit in his first at-bat of the season in the top of the 1^st.
• Senior infielder Sam Ryan (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Conant) had the other hit for Saint Xavier and went 1-for-3.
• Junior pitcher Tzu-Chun Yen (Kaohsiung, Taiwan/Ohlone/Meiho) made his debut for the Cougars by starting the bottom of the 6^th and worked 2.0 innings of relief with just one hit surrendered.
• Junior pitcher Max Smyth (Tinley Park, Ill./Illinois Central/Andrew) also made his debut for SXU and pitched the bottom of the 8^th and gave up one hit and one unearned run.
• The Bulldogs took an early lead in the bottom of the 1^st on an RBI single, scoring an unearned run. They extended their lead to 2-0 with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the 5^th.
• Junior outfielder Daniel Barrios (Manteno, Ill./Manteno) cut the deficit to one, 2-1, with an RBI off a fielder's choice in the top of the 8^th that scored senior pinch-runner Nick Dombroski (Crestwood, Ill./Shepard).
• A hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded scored an unearned run and put TWU up 3-1 in the bottom of the 8^th. Saint Xavier brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the 9^th, but Tennessee Wesleyan was able to turn a double play to end the game.

Saint Xavier (0-1/0-0 CCAC) takes on No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan in a doubleheader, both games with be seven innings, on Saturday, February 4. First pitch for game one is slated for 10:00 am central.