DAVENPORT, Iowa – IU South Bend jumped out to an early lead but were unable to hold it in the later innings on Saturday afternoon, as the Titans dropped the opener of a three-game series at St. Ambrose, 14-8.
The Titans (9-14, 3-4 CCAC) were led at the plate by two players who came just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle, as Nolan Unger finished 4-for-5, and Brett Sikorski 3-for-5, each with a double and triple on the day. Jake Vanderwoude reached base in all four plate appearances, while Kole Miller hit a triple and home run while driving in three RBI.
IU South Bend opened with a leadoff triple from Unger in the top of the 1st, then scored the first run of the day on a passed ball. The Bees (14-4, 5-1 CCAC) answered with a sac fly in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game.
Three extra-base hits in the 3rd inning led to three runs for the Titans, with RBI triples from Sikorski and Miller. Following a run for the Bees in the bottom of the 3rd, Vanderwoude’s leadoff double in the 4th led to an RBI single for Owen Benson to give IUSB a 5-2 lead.
A two-RBI single for the Bees made it a one-run game through four frames, but Miller’s two-run home run stretched the Titan lead back up to three, 7-4. The home team would even the score in the bottom of the 5th however, scoring three runs on three hits and an error to tie the game.
The St. Ambrose bullpen would keep the Titans off the scoreboard in the next two innings, while the Bees offense posted four runs in the bottom of the 7th, and three more in the 8th to pull away.
The Titans will look to bounce back on Sunday, when they close out the series with a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.
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