DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. --- Senior pinch-hitter Joe Prohaska (St. Laurence H.S./Chicago, IL) broke a 1-1 deadlock in the top half of the 11th inning with a two-out, two-run triple to propel University of St. Francis to a 4-1 victory in the Saints' season opener Sunday night.

Prohaska's game-winning hit came after senior centerfielder David Heasley (Crystal Lake Central H.S./Spring Grove, IL) opened the inning with a single and senior leftfielder Tom Serruto (Glenbard West H.S./Glen Ellyn, IL) followed one out later with another base hit. For Serruto, it was his third hit of the contest. Both players then advanced to second and third base, respectively, on a wild pitch only to remain there when freshman pinch-hitter Joe Ruge (Riverside-Brookfield H.S./North Riverside, IL) was called out on strikes for the second out.

Senior second baseman Steve Witczak (St. Rita H.S./Chicago, IL) followed Prohaska's triple with a suicide squeeze that went for a single - his second of the game - to provide the three-run cushion.

Heasley accounted for the initial run back in the fourth inning when he plated senior catcher Pat Grady (Carl Sandburg H.S./Orland Park, IL) on a groundout after Grady opened the inning with a triple.

Ohio Dominican (0-6) answered right back in the bottom of the inning with an unearned run.

Both teams mounted very few other serious threats with Ohio Dominican's best opportunity coming in the bottom of the ninth inning when the Panthers put two of the first three runners on base only to have the Saints' third double play of the game thwart that rally.

That turned out to be USF starting pitcher Matt Huck's last inning of work. Huck (Marian Central Catholic H.S./McHenry, IL) struck out six batters, while only walking one and scattered eight hits in his season debut.

The Panthers also had their first two batters in the 11^th inning open with singles, but could not score.

Sophomore righthander Corey Schultz (Kankakee H.S./Kankakee, IL) (1-0) picked up the win on the mound for the Saints pitching the final two scoreless innings.

The two teams meet up again for a mid-morning doubleheader on Monday.