PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. - University of St. Francis clubbed four home runs and 15 hits over the last four innings to come back from a 4-0 deficit and defeat Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball rival Trinity Christian, 16-5, Tuesday afternoon. The win was the fifth straight for USF (19-12, 10-5) in CCAC play and its sixth in its last seven games overall.

The Saints spotted the Trolls a 4-0 led through two innings and were held hitless through the first three. They finally solved their offensive issues in the fourth when senior third baseman Andy Zurales (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) singled to center and then scored on senior catcher Pat Grady's (Sandburg H.S./Orland Park, IL) home run to deep center field.

That 2-run blast was just the beginning for the Saints. USF put eight runs on the board in the fifth, with 2-run hits by Grady and senior center fielder David Heasley (Crystal Lake Central H.S./Spring Grove, IL) being the big blows.

The Saints got three more in the sixth on a solo homer by Zurales and a 2-run shot to rightby Heasley. USF then added three more in the seventh, which included a solo home run by junior first baseman Shawn Hohenbery (Princeville H.S./Princeville, IL).

Starting pitcher David Hexdall (Morris H.S./Morris, IL) pitched the first six innings and earned the win, allowing TCC just one solo home run in his final four frames.

The Saints are now tied for second place in the CCAC standings with Olivet Nazarene and trail only league-leading Judson at the half-way mark in conference play.

USF plays host to Illinois Tech on Friday at Silver Cross Field in a single, 9-inning CCAC tilt. The two clubs then play a doubleheader at IIT on Sunday. That twin bill was originally scheduled for Saturday but was moved to accommodate an academic conflict for the host Hawks of IIT.