Season ends in CCAC Championship round
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Ambrose (IA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
|
St. Francis (IL) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | X | 4 | 9 | 0 |
Photo courtesy Scott McCreary
After scoring 31 total runs in a pair of elimination games Saturday, the Bee offense was silenced Monday. St. Ambrose managed just three hits in a 4-0 loss to St. Francis in the championship game of the CCAC Tournament in Joliet, Ill.
With the win, USF (29-19) will represent the conference in the NAIA Tournament.
Brandon Matias gave the Bees perhaps their best scoring opportunity with a two-out double in the first. But a Brock Webber groundout stranded him there.
Webber had a two-out single in the fourth and Bryce Vincent a two-out single in the fifth for the other SAU hits.
Trailing 2-0 after allowing a pair of unearned runs in the fourth, St. Ambrose threatened again in the sixth. Adrian Zietara led off with a walk and moved to second on a Noah McCreary sacrifice bunt. Zietara took third on a Matias fly out. Webber drew a walk and stole second to put two runs in scoring position, but Jake Mucha was retired to end the threat. The Saints hit a two-run home run in the bottom half of the sixth to double their lead.
The only other Bee baserunner came in the ninth when Matias was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. But he was promptly erased on a double-play ball as the SAU rally was halted.
Sergio Marchizza was tagged with the loss after allowing two earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. Brad Niedzwiedz struck out three while surrendering just one hit over the final 2 2/3.
St. Ambrose, which finished in a tie for second behind St. Francis in the CCAC during the regular season, ends the year with a 28-22 record.