Palos Heights, Ill. – Junior infielder Mason Johnson (Palmdale, Calif./Antelope Valley/Quartz Hill) went 4-for-7 on the day with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored to help Saint Xavier University baseball (26-22/18-12 CCAC) come away with a split doubleheader with Trinity Christian College (Ill.) in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) action Thursday afternoon at the Schaaf Athletic Complex in Palos Heights, Ill. Johnson was 3-for-3 with a pair of two-baggers and fifth-year senior catcher Evan Orzech (Shorewood, Ill./Crossroads Christian Academy) drove in a pair of runs, however the Cougars lost game one 5-4 in extra innings. In game two, Johnson sparked a three-run rally in the top of the 7^th with an RBI single that forced extra innings and he added an RBI in the top of the 8^th to help SXU come out on top with a 7-5 triumph.

Game One:

• Orzech finished 2-for-4.
• Freshman designated hitter John Simicek (Twinsburg, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) also was 2-for-4 at the plate and he scored a run.
• Junior outfielder Justin Massingale (Carbondale, Ill./St. Charles CC/Carbondale Community) went 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, two runs scored, was hit-by-pitch and he drew a walk.
• Freshman outfielder Nick Altobelli (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) drove in a run and was 1-for-3 with a walk.
• Senior pitcher Jimmy Fairley (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Rock Valley/Huntley) pitched 6.1 innings with a no decision. He allowed five hits, four runs (three earned), a walk and four strikeouts.
• Sophomore pitcher Heath Mann (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) suffered the loss after working 1.0 inning with three hits given up, one earned run and two walks.
• Orzech pulled an RBI single to right to break a scoreless tie in the top of the 3^rd.
• Junior infielder Konner Hutchings (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Charles/Liberty) made it 2-0 in the top of the 4^th after he hit a sacrifice fly to score Simicek.
• In the top of the 5^th, Orzech rapped an RBI single and Altobelli hit an RBI base hit through the left side of the infield to push the advantage to 4-0.
• The Trolls got on the board in the bottom of the 6^th off a sac fly, the run was unearned.
• TCC plated three runs in the bottom of the 7^th to force extra innings on an RBI single and a two-out RBI base hit.
• Trinity Christian won the game in the bottom of the 8^th with a one-out RBI single.

Game Two:

• With the first game, originally scheduled for seven innings, the nine-inning contest automatically became a seven-inning game.
• Johnson had a hit in four at-bats with two RBI and a run scored.
• Hutchings was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base.
• Freshman catcher Victor Zaragoza (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) collected two hits in three trips to the plate.
• Orzech went 1-for-3 with an RBI double as the designated hitter.
• Freshman infielder Noah Dreier (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield Central) doubled and scored a run after going 1-for-4.
• Junior outfielder Sean Moore (Chicago, Ill./Calumet St. Joseph/Thornwood) was 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run.
• Senior pitcher Julian Vargas (Tinley Park, Ill./Tinley Park) made the start, throwing 6.0 innings, allowing five hits, four earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts.
• Senior pitcher Max Smyth (Tinley Park, Ill./Illinois Central/Andrew) earned the win in relief (3-0), after logging 2.0 innings with one hit, one earned run, two walks and a strikeout.
• Orzech gave Saint Xavier a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1^st with an RBI double down the right field line.
• The Trolls rallied for four runs in the bottom of the 3^rd with an RBI walk, an RBI fielder's choice and a two-run double to go up 4-1.
• Dreier led off the top of the 7^th by slicing a double to right field. Johnson followed with an RBI single and he scored two batters later on a wild pitch. Moore tied the game, reaching on an RBI fielder's choice.
• Orzech was hit-by-pitch and freshman infielder Troy Stukenberg (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) reached base via an error the Cougars to start the top of the 8^th. Altobelli put down a sacrifice bunt and another error allowed Orzech to score. Johnson extended the lead with a fielder's choice RBI bunt back to the pitcher and Stukenberg scored the winning run. Hutchings added some insurance after his RBI groundout scored Altobelli.
• TCC got a run back with a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the 8^th before Smyth rolled a ground ball to Stukenberg at second to end the game.

Saint Xavier (26-22/18-12 CCAC) will celebrate 'Senior Day' and conclude the regular season with a CCAC doubleheader against Trinity Christian on Saturday, April 27 at Richard R. Ferrell Memorial Field. Game one is scheduled for a 1:00 pm first pitch.