Saint Xavier University

Joliet, Ill. – The No. 3 seed Saint Xavier University baseball team (34-18/21-11) lost its first game of the day in the winner's bracket semifinal, 5-3, in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Baseball Tournament to No. 1 St. Ambrose University (Iowa) with junior infielder John Simecek (Twinsburg, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) collecting a pair of RBIs Friday afternoon at Slammers Stadium in Joliet, Ill. The Cougars bounced back under the lights, eliminating No. 4 Judson University (Ill.) 17-1 in seven innings to set up a re-match with the Fighting Bees for the CCAC Championship on Saturday. Simecek had three hits and three RBI to help lead the offensive outburst.

Game One:

• Simecek was 2-for-4 overall with two stolen bases, a run scored and a walk.
• Junior outfielder Ben Meier (Beechwood, Ky./Lincoln Trail/Beechwood) doubled while also going 2-for-4 with a run
• Senior catcher Aaron Orzech (Streamwood, Ill./Crossroads Christian Academy) and senior infielder Beau Polickey (Oak Lawn, Ill./Heartland/Brother Rice) each finished 2-for-4, respectively.
• Senior pitcher Thomas Plizga (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Olivet Nazarene/Fremd) made the start, lasting 5.0 innings with three hits, two runs (one earned), three walks and three strikeouts.
• Senior pitcher Gannon Burns (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) suffered the loss in relief (5-2), allowing four hits, three earned runs and logging a strikeout in 0.2 innings.
• Junior designated hitter/pitcher Noah Dreier (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield Central) threw 3.1 innings out of the bullpen, with one hit, two walks and two strikeouts. He also went 1-for-4 at the plate.
• SXU scored three runs in the bottom of the 3^rd on a two-run single by Simecek, who later scored on an error.
• SAU plated an unearned run in the top of the 5^th with a two-out RBI double.
• The Fighting Bees tied the game in the top of the 6^th on a two-run home run, and they added a pair of RBI base hits to go up 5-3.
• Saint Xavier would bring the go-ahead run to the batter's box in the bottom of the 9^th, however they could not cash in.

Game Two:

• Simecek went 3-for-4 overall with two runs scored and a walk.
• Orzech tallied three RBI, going 2-for-3 with a walk.
• Polickey had three hits in five at-bats with two RBI, two runs, two stolen bases and a double.
• Sophomore outfielder Parker Violett (Maple Park, Ill./Kaneland) was 1-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored, a triple and a steal.
• Junior outfielder Max Waszkiewicz (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale South) scored three runs, swiped three bases, drew a pair of walks with an RBI, going 1-for-4.
• Freshman infielder Trevor Corbett (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) also scored three times, finishing 1-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a stolen base.
• Senior outfielder Shea Zbrozek (Bloomington, Ill./Danville Area/Normal Community) was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored from the lead-off spot.
• Sophomore pitcher Tyler Deluca (Minooka, Ill./Minooka Community) earned the win (5-2) after he threw 5.1 innings, scattering four hits with one earned run, two walks and striking out seven batters.
• Senior pitcher Nick Krueger (Clifton, Ill./Danville Area/Clifton Central) logged 0.2 innings with a strikeout.
• Senior pitcher Osvaldo Ballesteros Jr. (Berwyn, Ill./St. Laurence) pitched an inning of relief posting a strikeout.
• An RBI double off the bat of Simecek opened the scoring in the top of the 1^st.
• Orzech made the score 2-0 with an RBI single in the top of the 4^th.
• The Cougars added three runs in the top of the 5^th. Simecek sliced an RBI single to the gap in right center, Violett legged out an RBI triple, and he scored on a wild pitch.
• An error brought in a run and Polickey scored on wild pitch in the top of the 6^th for a 7-0 advantage.
• The Eagles got on the board with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the 6^th.
• SXU rallied for 10 runs in the top of the 7^th. Dreier hammered an RBI double, Polickey lined an RBI single, a run scored on a wild pitch, Waszkiewicz drew a bases loaded walk, Simecek had an RBI base hit, Violett was hit-by-pitch with the bases jammed, Corbett laced an RBI single, Orzech clubbed a two-run base hit and Polickey bookended the frame with an RBI double.

No. 3 seed Saint Xavier (34-18/21-11 CCAC) plays No. 1 St. Ambrose University (Iowa) in the CCAC Tournament Championship on Saturday, May 2 at 4:00 pm. If the Cougars win, they will force the if-necessary game that will follow 30 minutes after the first contest.