Titans Overpower St. Ambrose for Series Sweep

The Titans conclude the regular-season at 23-22 overall, its first winning season in their short six-year program history and the most wins under head coach Doug Buysse.

GRANGER, Ind. – In its final regular-season contest, the Indiana University South Bend baseball team completed the weekend sweep over St. Ambrose with a 14-6 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory at Rex Weade Stadium Sunday, May 2.

The Titans conclude the regular-season at 23-22 overall, its first winning season in their short six-year program history and the most wins under head coach Doug Buysse.

The win also boosted IUSB to 19-11 in league play to finish fourth in the standings, its highest finish in the history of IUSB baseball.

IUSB cranked out 16 hits, its second consecutive multi-hit outing, and held SAU to just five hits while a combined total of 14 walks were issued on the day. Five different Titans collected multi-hit performances but were led by Jared Bais who registered a perfect 3-for-3 outing with two RBIs and a run scored. Senior Logan Young went 3-for-4 from the plate with a run batted in and two runs scored.

In relief, freshman Jaidyn Morris threw three innings allowing three runs off three hits to seal his third win of the season. Starter Bryson Taylor pitched three innings that saw three runs scored off three hits and three walks. IUSB went deep into the bullpen for the final three frames as Cal Whitaker, Matt Rose and Nolan Lorenz each tossed one inning of work that didn’t allow a single hit.

The Titans took the early 6-1 lead in the second after plating five runs off two hits and a Fighting Bees error. Jake Vanderwoude led off with a center field single, scoring on a Bais walk with the bases loaded. Logan Smith scored the second run after Tyler Welborn drew a walk. The final three runs came from Welborn, Bais and Young.

After IUSB added two in the third, St. Ambrose responded with a two-run fourth inning to cut the Titan lead to 8-3. Morris got the Titans out of a bases loaded jam in the frame with a ground out and a pair of outfield fly outs.

St. Ambrose pulled within three, 9-6, with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth but IUSB responded in the seventh. Senior TJ DeHerrera ripped a leadoff double down the right field line and senior counterpart Young added a RBI double to right field, scoring pinch runner Daniel Murczek.

In the eighth, IUSB sealed the 14-6 victory with four runs off three hits. Murczek collected his first hit donning the Crimson and Cream in the frame and eventually scored off a couple SAU miscues to lead the offense.

The Titans prepare for the CCAC Tournament after sealing the No. 4 seed and heads straight to DuPage Medical Group Field in Joliet, Ill. without having to compete in a play-in game. IUSB faces fifth seeded St. Francis on Friday, May 7 that is slated to begin at 11 a.m. ET.