WESTFIELD, Ind. – The Spring Arbor University baseball team won both games of its doubleheader against the University of Saint Francis Thursday, taking game one 7-5 and the second game 3-1 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.

Spring Arbor improved to 10-12 overall and 5-3 in the Crossroads League while Saint Francis dropped to 10-25 with a 3-6 mark in league play.

Both teams had the bats going early combining to score seven runs in the first inning. With the aid of two USF errors, the Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Saint Francis answered with four runs on three hits in the home half of the frame.

Spring Arbor came back to tie the game in the third inning though. Alex Holley led off the frame with a single to center field and would eventually come around to score on a passed ball.

After Saint Francis regained the lead with a run in the fourth, SAU responded again with a tally in the fifth to even the score at 5-5. Conner Lengerich drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Holley. After taking third on a wild pitch, Lengerich would cross the plate on an RBI single by Jeremiah Johnson.

Following a scoreless sixth inning, the Cougars grabbed a 7-5 lead in the seventh on RBI doubles by Johnson and Jonathan Newman. Saint Francis would bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the inning but Joe Romence would escape the jam to earn his first win of the season.

Johnson finished the game going 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored. Tyler Reed also picked up two hits and an RBI.

Romence pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief giving up just two hits while striking out three.

In game two, Spring Arbor got off to another fast start scoring two runs in the first inning. Johnson sparked a two-out rally with an RBI double. Two batters later, Nate Sitkiewicz delivered a base hit up the middle to bring home Johnson.

The Cougars struck again in the second inning when Francisco Ondina scored on a pass ball, putting SAU on top 3-0.

Saint Francis manufactured a run in the third inning but that would be all pitcher Duncan Patterson surrendered as the freshman shined in his first career start. The right-hander went all seven innings scattering seven hits while fanning six batters to earn the win.

Johnson continued his hot hitting collecting two more hits, including his team-leading 11th double of the season. Ondina also recorded two hits and scored a run.

Spring Arbor will conclude its series with Saint Francis on Saturday, Apr. 9. The two teams will, again, play at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana with first pitch set for 6 p.m.

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