FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The University of Saint Francis (Ind.) baseball team split a home Crossroads League four-game series against Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Friday, March 6 and Monday, March 9.

MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE 6, SAINT FRANCIS 2

• Saint Francis and Mount Vernon Nazarene played through three scoreless innings in Friday afternoon's opening game. MVNU used a sacrifice fly to bring in a run and take a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
• Mount Vernon Nazarene added five more runs in the top of the seventh inning to extend its lead to 6-0.
• In the bottom half of the inning, the Cougars took advantage of a fielding error to plate two runs, cutting the deficit to 6-2, but Saint Francis was unable to complete the comeback.
• Saint Francis recorded six hits and four walks in the contest. Xavier Nolan and Kasen Oribello each went 1-for-4 at the plate with a double.
• On the mound, Perry Stow took the loss after striking out nine batters while allowing four hits and four runs. Bryce Adams recorded four strikeouts in 2.1 innings of relief.

MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE 16, SAINT FRANCIS 6 - 7 INNINGS

• Mount Vernon Nazarene got on the scoreboard first in game two on Friday with two RBI singles to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Saint Francis answered in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double and a two-run single to take a 3-2 lead.
• Mount Vernon Nazarene responded with six runs across the second, fourth and fifth innings to retake the lead. Saint Francis added a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it an 8-4 game.
• MVNU put together a big sixth inning to extend its lead to 12-4.
• The Cougars tried to rally with an RBI triple and took advantage of an error to bring in two more runs, but Mount Vernon Nazarene sealed the win after scoring four runs in the top of the seventh inning.
• Saint Francis recorded seven hits in game two. Ashten Tuttle went 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Zavier Edgar finished 1-for-3 at the plate with a triple and an RBI. Payton Fulton drove in two runs and added a stolen base, while Tyler Bach also recorded an RBI.
• Luke Siren was credited with the loss after throwing 3.2 innings as the starter, striking out five batters while allowing five runs. Andrew Onuegbu, Jacob Bardwell, Nathan Bardwell and Antoni Malinowski combined for six strikeouts while allowing six hits in relief.

SAINT FRANCIS 6, MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE 5

• Mount Vernon Nazarene opened the scoring with a home run in the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Cougars responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 advantage.
• MVNU added runs in the fourth and seventh innings to pull ahead 5-3.
• In the bottom of the seventh, Andrew Zellers hit a solo home run over the right field fence to bring Saint Francis within one run. An RBI double later in the inning tied the game at 5-5.
• With one out and a runner on second, Aslan Nolan singled to left field to score Steven Drewyor and give Saint Francis the walk-off 6-5 victory.
• Saint Francis recorded 13 hits and seven walks in Monday's first game. Aslan Nolan went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, a double and a walk. Zellers finished with his first home run of the season, an RBI and a walk. Oribello, Ayden Lichtensteiger and Gage Blanchard each added an RBI, while Owen Zimmerman recorded two stolen bases.
• On the mound, Jayden Nuber struck out seven batters while allowing three hits in 4.0 innings as the Cougars' starter. Adams earned the win after striking out five batters while allowing no hits or runs in 2.1 innings of relief.

SAINT FRANCIS 7, MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE 5 - 7 INNINGS

• Mount Vernon Nazarene struck first with a run in the top of the first inning. Xavier Nolan answered with a home run to left-center field to tie the game at 1-1.
• MVNU added two runs in the third inning to retake the lead. The Cougars responded in the bottom half of the inning with a double to right-center field, followed by a single past first base to tie the game again.
• Mount Vernon Nazarene made it a 5-3 game after an RBI double to left field and a run scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth inning.
• With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Lichtensteiger hit a grand slam to right-center field to give Saint Francis another walk-off victory over MVNU and split the four-game series.
• The Cougars recorded five hits and four walks in the series finale. Xavier Nolan went 2-for-2 at the plate with a home run, a double, two RBI and two walks. Lichtensteiger finished 2-for-4 with five RBI.
• On the mound, Dawson French struck out three batters while allowing four hits in 4.0 innings pitched. Zellers earned the win after throwing 1.0 inning and allowing just one hit with no runs.

Up next, the SF baseball team (4-16, 2-6 CL) will travel to Indiana Wesleyan University for a road series against the Wildcats on March 13-14. 

Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.