SAU explodes for 17 runs to defeat Trinity Christian
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Trinity Christian (IL) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 3 |
|
St. Ambrose (IA) | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | X | 17 | 16 | 3 |
Photo courtesy Scott McCreary
Six different Bees had multiple hits as St. Ambrose kept its season alive by defeating Trinity Christian 17-9 in an elimination game at the CCAC Tournament played in Joliet, Ill., Saturday.
Joey Fitzgerald and Brock Webber each had three hits, while Adrian Zietara, Noah McCreary, Jake Mucha and Garrett Latoz had two apiece as part of SAU's 16-hit attack.
St. Ambrose did its damage after falling behind 4-0 in the top of the first.
Webber got the Bees on the board with a two-run double and Fitzgerald followed with an RBI single to pull SAU to within 4-3.
Trinity Christian added another run in the top of the second before St. Ambrose took control. The Bees sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom half of the inning, getting four hits and taking advantage of a pair of TCC errors. McCreary put SAU in front with a three-run home run to right. Fitzgerald and Bryce Vincent had run-scoring hits before Latoz drove in two with a double to push the lead to 10-5.
Mucha ripped an RBI double to right in the third to extend the lead to 11-5.
The Trolls got as close as 11-8 in the sixth before the Bees pulled away.
Chris McFarland, Fitzgerald and Zietara each drove in a run in the sixth, and McFarland added a two-run double in the seventh to up the advantage to 16-8. Trinity Christian scored its final run in the top of the eighth before Zietara ended the scoring with a solo home run to right in the bottom of the frame.
McCreary, McFarland and Fitzgerald each drove in three runs. Mucha and Brandon Matias each scored three times.
Jake Jacek earned the win with 6 2/3 innings of relief work. He struck out three while allowing just three earned runs in relief of Joey Turek. Aidan Goggins gave up an unearned run while tossing the final two innings.
SAU has to turn around and play Olivet Nazarene in another elimination game Saturday at 9 p.m. The winner will play St. Francis for the conference championship beginning Monday night.