Fayette, Mo. – Senior infielder Joe Rycerz (Schererville, Ind./Andrean) and junior outfielder Daniel Barrios (Manteno, Ill./Manteno) each belted home runs in aid of sophomore pitcher Nico Saldias (Ajax, Ontario/Connors State/Pickering), who tossed a complete game, in a 7-2 upset of No. 14 Central Methodist University (Mo.) by Saint Xavier University baseball (6-10/0-0 CCAC) in the Central Methodist Tournament Sunday afternoon at Estes Field in Fayette, Mo. It's the first victory for SXU over a Top 25 opponent since they also beat Central Methodist, who was No. 2 at the time, one year ago to the day on March 5, 2022, in extra innings.

• Barrios finished 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.
• Rycerz went 2-for-4 with with a team-high three runs scored.
• Senior infielder Declan Smyth (Evergreen Park, Ill./North Central/Evergreen Park) finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs, an RBI, a double and a walk.
• Saldias (1-3) picked up his first win of the season and allowed just four hits, two earned runs, a walk and tied his season-high with eight strikeouts.
• The Cougars provided Saldias with some early insurance as Barrios led the game off with his fourth home run of the season. Two more runs would score on a CMU error and Smyth scored later in the inning to a 4-0 lead.
• Smyth clubbed an RBI double to center field and would score on a heads up play after a dropped third strike to extend the advantage to 6-0 in the top of the 3^rd.
• Rycerz led off the top of the 5^th with his second home run of the year.
• The Eagles hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 7^th, however Saldias struck out the side to end the game.

Saint Xavier (6-10/0-0 CCAC) finishes play in the CMU Tournament with a pair of games on Monday, March 6. They play Columbia College (Mo.) at 10:00 am and William Woods University (Mo.) at 1:00 pm in Fayette, Mo.