TIGERS RALLY LATE AND DEFEAT USF IN EXTRA INNINGS TO MOVE ON IN THE CCAC TOURNAMENT

JOLIET, Ill. – Donovan Yelle provided late-game heroics for the second consecutive night as the top-seeded Olivet Nazarene University baseball team rallied to a 4-3 win over the fourth seeded St. Francis (Ill.) Fighting Saints in extra innings. The Tigers march on in the winner's side of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament bracket.

Olivet fell behind in the bottom of the first inning. The Fighting Saints manufactured a run off an RBI single followed by a two-run home run to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Nolan Belschner settled down after the early going to pitch six innings where he struck out six batters, gave up no walks, and allowed no runs scored after the first inning. The Tigers threatened in the top of the third inning by loading up the bases but could not convert on the opportunity.

ONU's offense was held off the scoreboard until the top of the sixth inning. Gunnar Pullins and Garrett Mooney led off with back-to-back base hits. Donovan Yelle's sacrifice bunt moved the baserunners into a scoring position which set up Robert Jackman's two-RBI triple to right-center field to cut the deficit to one run. Peyton Bovie entered the game in relief to keep USF within reach pitching two and one-third innings allowing only one hit, no walks, and a strike out. 


Tyler Wheeler's leadoff single to left field in the top of the seventh inning put the tying run aboard. This allowed Rod Lucas to enter the game and pinch run for the Olivet catcher. The Miami Gardens, Fla. native used his speed to steal second base and then third base off of a wild pitch. He eventually made it all the way home and leveled the score from yet another pitch in the dirt that got away from the St. Francis catcher. Neither team could break the deadlock in the eighth and ninth innings which led the contest to extra innings tied at 3-3.

Like the night before, Pullins drew a leadoff walk in the tenth inning representing the go-ahead run.  Mooney advanced the baserunner into scoring position utilizing a sacrifice bunt. Yelle, once again, drove in the ultimate game-winning run with his RBI single down the left field line. Michael Freitas finished the night by recording the last three outs. Despite the game-tying run sitting on second with two outs, the freshman right-handed pitcher produced the ground out that ended the ballgame, 4-3.

GAME VITALS

(No. 1) Olivet Nazarene (36-15, 27-3 CCAC) | (No. 4) St. Francis (Ill.) (29-26, 22-8 CCAC)

2022 CCAC Baseball Tournament Bracket

WHAT'S NEXT

With the win, the Tigers advance within the winner's bracket of the CCAC Tournament and will play the Fighting Bees of St. Ambrose. The first pitch is slated for 7 p.m. CST tomorrow night at DuPage Medical Field in Joliet, Ill. To follow along, visit ONUTigers.com.

--ONU—

*Contact: Patrick Kaindl, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, pkaindl@olivet.edu