Saint Xavier’s Fun Run Continues With Walk-Off Winner
JOLIET, Ill. — After just missing on a walk-off home run in the ninth inning of its winner’s bracket matchup against top-seeded Olivet Nazarene University, Saint Xavier University’s Joe Rycerz delivered in the bottom of the 11th inning on a 3-2, two-out pitch to keep the No. 6-seeded Cougars’ fun run going with a 2-1 victory on Monday night at DuPage Medical Group Field.
The win left Saint Xavier (32-23) as the sole remaining unbeaten team in the eight-team, double-elimination field and needing just one more victory to capture the tourney crown. The Cougars also need just a win by Olivet Nazarene over No. 5 seed University of St. Francis in Tuesday’s elimination bracket game at 4 pm to lock down the conference’s second automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.
Olivet Nazarene gained the first bid by capturing the regular-season league title with the second berth going to the tournament champion or the tournament runner-up if the Tigers also claim the tournament crown.
Saint Xavier, Olivet Nazarene and St. Francis are the only teams left standing in the tournament after St. Francis (24-19) used a pair of clutch pitching performances to notch a 5-0 victory over No. 2 seed St. Ambrose University and a 4-2 win versus No. 7 seed Roosevelt University in elimination games earlier Monday.
The winner of the St. Francis-Olivet Nazarene matchup meets Saint Xavier in the championship game on Tuesday night at 7 pm with the if-necessary game to follow on Wednesday at 7 pm.
For the complete tournament information, go to the Tournament Website.
The up-to-date schedule and complete results follow:
Friday, May 7
Game 1 –No. 4 seed Indiana South Bend 13, No. 5 seed St. Francis 10
Game 2 – No. 6 seed Saint Xavier 5, No. 3 seed Judson 4
Game 3 –No. 2 seed St. Ambrose 4, No. 7 seed Roosevelt 3
Game 4 –No. 1 seed Olivet Nazarene 6, No. 8 seed Trinity Christian 4
Saturday, May 8
Game 5 –No. 7 seed Roosevelt 5, No. 3 seed Judson 0
Game 6 – No. 5 seed St. Francis 11, No. 8 seed Trinity Christian 1
Game 7 – No. 6 seed Saint Xavier 5, No. 2 seed St. Ambrose 1
Game 8 –No. 1 seed Olivet Nazarene 13, No. 4 seed Indiana South Bend 3
Monday, May 9
Game 9 – No. 7 seed Roosevelt 5, No. 4 seed Indiana South Bend 4
Game 10 – No. 5 seed St. Francis 5, No. 2 seed St. Ambrose 0
Game 11 – No. 5 seed St. Francis 4, No. 7 seed Roosevelt 2
Game 12 – No. 6 seed Saint Xavier 2, No. 1 seed Olivet Nazarene 1 — 8 Innings
Tuesday, May 10
Game 13 – No. 1 seed Olivet Nazarene (32-20) vs. No. 5 seed St. Francis (24-19) — 4 pm
Game 14 – Winner-Game #13 vs. No. 6 seed Saint Xavier (32-23) — 7 pm (Championship)
Wednesday, May 11
Game 15 – Winner-Game #14 vs. Loser-Game #14 — 7 pm (If necessary)
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