FORT WAYNE, Ind. – On Saturday afternoon, the University of Saint Francis Cougars (27-26) traveled to Marion, Indiana to compete in the Crossroads League Tournament and opened with a tough challenge when they faced the No. 1 seeded Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars (34-16) but unphased won 5-4 for a thrilling victory to open the tournament.

Starting on the mound for the Cougars was freshman Cory Wolter who did surrender a first-inning run on a sacrifice fly but settled in after that for minimal damage.

After the Cougars were rendered scoreless through the first three innings, right fielder Sam Pesa came to the plate to leadoff the fourth inning and deposited the pitch over the left field wall to tie the game at one. But Mount Vernon answered in their half of the inning with a solo blast as the Cougars found themselves needing to catch up again.

Meanwhile, Wolter held steady on the mound, holding the number one seeded team in the conference at bay giving his team a chance to climb back into the game.

Then after the first two Cougars were retired in the top of the sixth, a fielding error by Mount Vernon that followed proved costly as the Cougars tied the game back up with a two-out single through the left side by shortstop Jayden Lepper.

Wolter went back out and faced the minimum in the bottom of the sixth and his day was finished after that. The freshman hurler allowed just two runs on three hits through six strong innings as the game entered the seventh a 2-2 tie.

Then in the top of the seventh, second baseman Mike Jovanovic led off the frame with a walk, and then pinch-runner Brenden Lytle score the go-ahead run on an RBI-single by left fielder Alec Brunson. Saint Francis then added another on an RBI-double by first baseman Tyler Prince as the Cougars now took a 4-2 lead.

But in the bottom of the seventh, Mount Vernon showed why they are the top ranked team in the Crossroads League. With one out and two runners on, a base hit up the middle followed by a throwing error scored both runs as the game was tied again after seven.

With the game deadlocked in the top of the eighth, Jayden Lepper led off the frame with a single, then moved to third with one out, and scored the tie-breaking run as he beat the throw and tag on a fielder's choice by Jose Valdes-Sandoval as the Cougars recaptured the lead 5-4.

Going into the bottom of the ninth, sophomore reliever Casey Henry, who came in to relieve in the seventh, went back out to finish off Mount Vernon. But a leadoff single brought the winning run to the plate, but the next batter flew out. Then after a passed ball and intentional walk, Henry induced a groundball double play as the Cougars earned the hard-fought win.

The Cougars will now face the No. 4 seeded Huntington University Foresters (24-21) in the second round of the Crossroads League Tournament on Monday afternoon in Marion beginning at 1:00 pm.