Fayette, Mo. – Junior catcher Evan Orzech (Shorewood, Ill./Crossroads Christian Academy) came through in the clutch with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the 13th that broke a 2-2 tie and Saint Xavier University baseball (7-11/0-0 CCAC) would add an insurance run for a 5-2 victory over Columbia College (Mo.) in their first game of a split doubleheader in the Central Methodist Tournament Monday afternoon at Estes Field in Fayette, Mo. In the second game shortly after, the Cougars lost to William Woods University (Mo.) by a score of 3-0.

Game One:

• Orzech finished 2-for-6 with three RBI and a home run.
• Senior infielder Darren Zarrillo (Grapevine, Texas/Frank Phillips/Grapevine) went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Senior designated hitter Joe Rycerz (Schererville, Ind./Andrean) was 2-for-5 with a double
• Senior outfielder Collin Woulfe (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) also went 2-for-5 with a run.
• Junior pitcher Julian Vargas (Tinley Park, Ill./Tinley Park) made the start, going 4.0 innings with five hits, one run and four strikeouts.
• Junior pitcher Tzu-Chun Yen (Kaohsiung, Taiwan/Ohlone/Meiho) worked 2.2 innings out of the bullpen with two hits, one run, a walk and a strikeout.
• Sophomore pitcher Noah Scott (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) logged 0.2 innings and gave up two hits and a walk.
• Junior pitcher Max Smyth (Tinley Park, Ill./Illinois Central/Andrew) saw 1.2 innings on the mound with four hits, two walks and a strikeout.
• Junior pitcher Caleb Ziehr (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) posted 3.0 innings of relief to pick up the win (1-0) and allowed just one hit with two walks and a strikeout.
• Junior pitcher Jimmy Fairley (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Rock Valley/Huntley) recorded the first two outs in the bottom of the 13^th and walked two batters.
• Junior pitcher Brendan Gill (Evergreen Park, Ill./Moraine Valley/Mount Carmel) was able to get the final out and register his first save as a Cougar.
• Zarrillo lined an RBI single to left field that gave SXU a 1-0 lead in the top of the 3^rd.
• Orzech slugged his second home run of the season in the top of the 4^th.
• Columbia homered in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to 2-1.
• A leadoff home run to start the bottom of the 6^th tied the game but Yen set down the next three batters.
• With the bases loaded and down to two strikes, Orzech pulled a base hit to right field that plated two runs in the top of the 13^th and a passed ball would extend the lead to 5-2.

Game Two:

• Junior outfielder Daniel Barrios (Manteno, Ill./Manteno) and senior infielder Patrick Doran (Evergreen Park, Ill./NC Central/DuPage/South Suburban/Evergreen Park) each finished 1-for-3, while Zarrillo had one hit in two at-bats.
• Sophomore pitcher Logan McCleery (Patterson, Calif./Patterson) suffered the loss (1-1) after pitching 4.0 innings with two hits, three runs, five walks and he struck out three batters.
• Senior pitcher Jake Frencl (Frankfort, Ill./Southeastern CC/Lincoln-Way East) made his season debut and logged an inning with just a hit given up.
• Scott allowed just a hit in his inning of relief and Gill recorded a walk and a strikeout while pitching the top of the 7^th.
• The Owls took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1^st with an RBI single. They went up 2-0 in the top of the 3^rd off an RBI groundout and an error in the top of the 4^th would plate a run to cap the scoring.

Saint Xavier (7-11/0-0 CCAC) travels to Point Lookout, Mo. for a four-game series with College of the Ozarks (Mo.) that begins with a doubleheader on Friday, March 10. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 2:00 pm.