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St. Ambrose goes extras to take series from Olivet Nazarene

St. Ambrose goes extras to take series from Olivet Nazarene

Jake Mucha, Adrian Zietara and Nate Villagomez each had four hits as St. Ambrose defeated Olivet Nazarene 13-11 in 10 innings in Bourbonnais, Ill., Tuesday afternoon. The victory allowed the Bees to take the season series from the Tigers two games to one.

Despite pounding out 19 hits, SAU took advantage of a pair of ONU errors to push across two runs in the extra inning.

Mucha got his fourth hit of the game leading off the 10th. That proved to be the Bees' final hit of the contest, but it was all they needed. Consecutive Tiger errors, one by the right fielder to allow Zietara to reach, and the second by the pitcher allowing both runners to score on a ball hit by Mike Pawyza, pushed St. Ambrose in front 13-11.

Hunter Keim pitched around a lead-off double in the bottom of the 10th in his second inning of work to record the win.

The final inning capped a wild affair. Olivet Nazarene (14-15, 4-4 CCAC) led 6-2 after five innings. St. Ambrose came back with a four-run sixth and a four-run eighth to go in front 10-6. The Tigers bounced back with five runs in the bottom of the eighth. Cooper Huckabone grounded out to score Chris McFarland, who led off with a double, to tie the game in the top of the ninth. Keim stranded a pair of runners in the ninth before the Bees won the game in the 10th.

Mucha finished 4-for-6 including a three-run home run that put SAU in front 10-6 and scored three runs. Villagomez knocked in three runs and Zietara scored twice.

Pawyza and Brock Webber each had two hits while Huckabone, McFarland and Bryce Vincent had one hit apiece. Noah McCreary and Caden Thode each scored a run.

St. Ambrose scored double-digit runs for the fourth time this season. The damage could have been worse but the Bees left 11 runners on base. The Tigers also stranded 11.

Joey Turek worked the first 4 2/3 innings on the mound before four SAU relievers - Grant Baker, Jacob Bosse, Nick Hernandez and Keim - combined to toss the final 5 1/3 frames.

St. Ambrose (9-18, 4-3 CCAC) will head to Granger, Ind., for a three-game set at Indiana South Bend Friday and Saturday.