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Saint Xavier University

Official Athletics Website of the Saint Xavier University Cougars

Baseball
4
College of the Ozarks COO 6-8
5
Winner Saint Xavier (IL) SXU 5-6
College of the Ozarks COO
6-8
4
Final
5
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU
5-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 R H E
College of the Ozarks COO 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 10 0
Saint Xavier (IL) SXU 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 5 14 2

W: Fairley, Jimmy (1-0) L: S. Greene (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Massingale’s Walk-off Single Ends 13-inning Marathon in 5-4 Win for SXU

CHICAGO – Junior outfielder Justin Massingale (Carbondale, Ill./St. Charles CC/Carbondale Community) worked an extended at-bat before he hit a walk-off RBI single back up the middle with one out in the bottom of the 13th to give Saint Xavier University baseball (5-6/0-0 CCAC) a thrilling 5-4 victory over College of the Ozarks (Mo.) in game one of their doubleheader in the home opener for the Cougars Friday afternoon at Richard R. Ferrell Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. The second game was suspended after the end of the 3rd inning due to darkness and it will resume tomorrow on Saturday, March 2 before the two teams match up for the second doubleheader of the series.

Prior to the game, SXU welcomed back members of the inaugural baseball team to throw out ceremonial first pitches on the refurbished Ferrell Field after field turf was installed in the Fall. Throwing out the first pitches were: Steve Noworyta, Jim Panozzo, Dave Swiatek, Rick Swider, Bill Kelleher, John Massolio, John Kappel & Bill Pickert.
  • Fifth-year senior catcher Evan Orzech (Shorewood, Ill./Crossroads Christian Academy) went 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBI, a double and a walk.
  • Freshman infielder Troy Stukenberg (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) was 3-for-5 with a walk.
  • Junior outfielder Sean Moore (Chicago, Ill./Calumet St. Joseph/Thornwood) scored the game-winning run after he finished 2-for-4 with two runs, two stolen bases, a triple and a base on balls.
  • Senior pitcher Julian Vargas (Tinley Park, Ill./Tinley Park) made the start and threw 6.0 innings with seven hits, three runs (one earned) and five strikeouts.
  • Sophomore pitcher Heath Mann (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) worked 5.0 innings of relief allowing just two hits, one earned run, three walks and posting four strikeouts.
  • Senior Jimmy Fairley (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Rock Valley/Huntley) picked up the win (1-0) after the tossed 2.0 innings out of the bullpen giving up just one hit, one walk and striking out one batter.
  • The Bobcats scored a run in the top of the 1st on a two-out infield single.
  • Orzech tied the game in the bottom of the 1st with a sacrifice fly and freshman designated hitter John Simecek (Twinsburg, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) gave Saint Xavier the lead on an RBI groundout.
  • CofO plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the 2nd off an RBI double and an RBI single to go up 3-2.
  • The scored remained the same until the bottom of the 7th when sophomore pinch-hitter Jackson McFarland (Terre Haute, Ind./Terre Haute South Vigo) hit a leadoff double and freshman outfielder Nick Altobelli (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) followed with a game-tying RBI single to center field.
  • Ozarks broke the 3-3 tie in the top of the 11th with a two-out RBI double.
  • The Cougars responded in the bottom half of the inning to extend the game as Orzech hit a two-out RBI single up the middle.
  • Moore drew a walk with one out in the bottom of the 13th and stole second before Massingale's game-winning base hit.
Saint Xavier (5-6/0-0 CCAC) game two of the series with resume at 11:00 am with SXU holding a 3-0 lead, followed by games three and four of the series. The second doubleheader is slated for a 12:00 pm start, but will be dictated by the end of the resumed game.
 
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