CRESTWOOD, Ill. – Sam Burnoski hit a go-ahead two-run double to break a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning, propelling the Roosevelt baseball team to a 5-3 victory over Saint Xavier in Saturday's doubleheader nightcap and clinching a twinbill split at Standard Bank Stadium.
The Lakers (9-17, 8-13 CCAC) rebounded from an 8-3 opening-game loss at the hands of the Cougars (19-15, 14-9 CCAC) thanks to Burnoski's three-hit, three-RBI performance and a superb eight-inning outing from rookie right-hander Marcus Radz in the day's second contest between the two squads.
Radz struck out five and scattered seven hits in eight innings, allowing just two earned runs.
The second game was a one-run affair most of the way. Roosevelt jumped out to an early lead on Jordan Gosztola's RBI fielder's choice ground ball in the first. Saint Xavier evened the game two innings later on Gosztola's throwing error in an attempt to pick off Jim Augle at third, and the Cougars took the lead in the fifth on Brad Myjak's RBI groundout.
Radz kept the Lakers in the game on the mound, and Roosevelt finally gave the freshman hurler more support in the seventh. Nate Bukowski walked, stole second and reached third on Brett Sklena's perfectly-placed sacrifice bunt to put the tying run 90 feet away with one out, and Burnoski didn't waste time trading places with Bukowski by hitting a game-knotting RBI triple to right center.
Danny Gryzwa drew one of his three free passes on the night one plate appearance later, and after the Cougars called upon Dan Wetzel to relieve starter Lucas Fritsch and get the visitors out of the jam, the Lakers loaded the bases when Ryan Pacyga was hit. Two batters later it was Dylan Grabowski feeling some good pain when he was plunked by a Wetzel offering to drive in another run.
The Cougars would tie the game in the next half-inning, with Bryan Villanova hitting a two-out RBI single to left.
That set up Burnoski's heroics, as Bukowski singled and Sklena doubled to put a pair in scoring position for the Lakers' leadoff man. Burnoski hit a deep drive to the left field wall that plated both runners and put Roosevelt ahead for good.
Liam Pegg came on and pitched a scoreless ninth for his first collegiate save.
The Lakers were a bit wild in the first game, as Roosevelt pitchers walked 10 Cougar hitters and unfurled five wild pitches in a five-run loss.
Saint Xavier scored the game's first two runs in the first two innings, and after the Lakers cut their deficit to a single run in the third when Nathan Greene scored on pitcher Mike Klett's failed pickoff attempt toward third base, the Cougars tallied two in the fourth to chase starter Alex Van Ness and posted a back-breaking four-spot in the fifth.
The Lakers stranded 10 in the opener, including three in a key bases-loaded chance in the sixth that produced just two runs.
Roosevelt will return to action on Sunday when the Lakers travel to Whiting, Ind. to face CCAC foe Calumet College of St. Joseph at Oil City Stadium. The doubleheader between the two teams, a makeup twinbill after this past Tuesday's originally-scheduled doubleheader was postponed due to rain-soaked field conditions, is set to start at noon.
