JOLIET, Ill. - Junior left fielder Tom Serruto (Glenbard West H.S./Glen Ellyn, IL) drove home the winning run with a ninth-inning single and sophomore reliever Corey Schultz (Kankakee H.S./Kankakee, IL) improved his record to 8-0 as University of St. Francis held off upset-mined Cardinal Stritch University, 6-5, and maintained its hold on first place in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball standings.
The final game of the three-game series between USF and CSU was played at Silver Cross Field since the Wolves had a scheduling conflict at their home facility. So the Saints had to hold on in the bottom of the ninth after Serruto's single snapped the 5-5 tie. Schultz mowed down Stritch in three-up, three-down fashion to claim his eighth straight win and push the Saints' (32-13, 22-5) CCAC winning streak to 17 games.
USF was fortunate to find itself in a 5-5 tie as the game entered the ninth inning. The Saints' first four runs of the game were all unearned as Cardinal Stritch was charged with six errors in the contest.
The sixth and deciding run was also of the unearned variety. Sophomore right fielder Tom Whelan (St. Rita H.S./Chicago, IL) opened the top of the ninth with a ground ball that scooted through the legs of the Stritch first baseman to put the Saints' leadoff hitter aboard. Junior designated hitter Brent Walters (Lisle H.S./Lisle, IL) then sacrificed Whelan to second and Whelan then advanced to third on a wild pitch.
With one out, Serruto grounded a ball through the middle of a pulled-in infield to score the eventual winning tally.
The Saints led 4-1 heading into the top of the seventh and could have led by more but were the victims of the second triple play turned in the series in two days. On Friday, USF turned a triple play in a 7-2 victory. In the seventh inning Saturday, the Saints had runners on second and third with none out. Senior second baseman Steve Witczak (St. Rita H.S./Chicago, IL) lined out to the left fielder and the runner on second strayed too far off the base and was doubled up. USF's runner on third attempted to score while the Wolves were throwing to second base and the relay home by the CSU second baseman nailed him at the plate for the third out of the play and the inning.
The Saints were led offensively by senior third baseman Andy Zurales (Lincoln-Way Central H.S./New Lenox, IL) who went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Serruto had a pair of hits, which included his game-winner. Freshman first baseman Joe Ruge (Riverside-Brookfield H.S./North Riverside, IL) had the big hit of the day with a three-run double in the fourth inning that gave the Saints a 3-1 lead.
USF concludes its regular season with a three-game series this coming week vs. CCAC foe Trinity International. The Saints travel to Deerfield for a Wednesday doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m. The two clubs finish the series with a 3 p.m. single game at Silver Cross Field Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m.
