FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The University of Saint Francis (Ind.) baseball team split a four-game series after taking two games from the No. 10 Trojans of Taylor University on April 3-4.

USF started the series strong, escaping with game one on Thursday 5-4 before taking game two 10-6. Taylor won both games on Friday, with the Trojans winning by final scores of 12-1 and 5-3. 

SAINT FRANCIS 5, TAYLOR 4

• After two scoreless innings, a home run to left field gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
• USF answered in the bottom half of the inning with two runs batted in from Xavier Nolan and Kasen Oribello, bringing the score to 2-1 in favor of the Cougars. 
• Two more home runs in the sixth and seventh innings put Taylor back on top, 4-2.
• In the bottom of the seventh inning, Brenden Lytle led off with a solo shot to right field, cutting the Trojans' lead to one run. Oribello then hit a two-run homer to right field, giving Saint Francis the lead back with a score of 5-4.
• The Cougars kept the Trojans off the scoreboard in the last two innings, allowing USF to upset the tenth-ranked Taylor and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
• As a team, USF recorded eight hits and three walks. Nolan went 2-3 at the plate with two runs scored, an RBI and two stolen bases. Oribello hit his 10th homer of the season and had a team-high three RBI. Lytle went 2-4 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI. Jayden Lepper and Sam Pesa both had a stolen base, while AJ Patton contributed an extra-base hit in game one. 
• Lukas North struck out five batters and allowed four hits as the Cougars' starting pitcher.
• Bryce Adams got the win after throwing 1.1 innings of relief, with Cameron Niedens picking up his fifth save of the season after pitching the ninth inning.  

SAINT FRANCIS 10, TAYLOR 6 (7 INNINGS)

• USF jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, scoring four runs thanks to an RBI single from Lepper, an RBI double from Pesa, and a two-run home run from Eli Riley.
• The Cougars extended their lead to 5-0 in the second inning after capitalizing on a Trojan error.
• After Taylor plated two runs in the top of the third inning, Callan Stauffer doubled down the left field line to drive in two more runs for USF, making the score 7-2. 
• Taylor used an RBI double to right center to bring in another run and cut Saint Francis's lead to four runs in the top of the fourth.
• USF scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to bring the score to 10-3. A sacrifice fly from Oribello, an RBI triple from Pesa and an RBI single from Ayden Lichtensteiger highlighted the inning for the Cougars. 
• The Trojans scored three more runs in the fifth and seventh innings in an attempt to rally, but Saint Francis held off the Trojans to secure a 10-6 victory.
• Saint Francis had 10 hits and four walks in Thursday's second game, with Lepper and Pesa both going 2-4 at the plate. Lepper finished with two runs scored, an RBI and two stolen bases. Pesa had a double, a triple, two RBI and a stolen base. Riley hit his seventh homer of the season and finished with two RBI, while Nolan had four stolen bases.  
• Gage Smith earned the win, recording four strikeouts and scattered nine hits in five innings on the mound for USF. 

TAYLOR 12, SAINT FRANCIS 1 (7 INNINGS)

• The Cougars were the first to score, with Oribello hitting a single to center field that brought Lepper home, giving USF a 1-0 lead.
• In the top of the second inning, Taylor answered back with an RBI single, tying the game at 1-1.
• The Trojans then had a big fifth inning, scoring seven more runs to take an 8-1 lead.
• Taylor added another run in the seventh inning, increasing their lead to 12-1.
• The Cougars were unable to make a comeback as the game ended with the Trojans winning 12-1 in the seventh inning.
• USF was held to three hits in Friday's first game. Oribello hit 1-3 with an RBI. Lepper also went 1-3 at the plate with a stolen base and a run scored. Nolan and Stauffer both also had a stolen base. 
• Blaine McRae took the loss, throwing 4.2 innings and recording four strikeouts and eight hits. 

TAYLOR 5, SAINT FRANCIS 3 (7 INNINGS)

• After the Trojans opened Friday's second game with a run, Pesa responded with a solo home run, tying the score at 1-1 in the second inning. Lytle then hit an RBI single to left field, followed by Stauffer scoring on a passed ball, giving USF a 3-1 lead.
• In the third inning, the Trojans regained the lead with an RBI walk and a two-run single, making the score 4-3.
• Taylor scored again in the top of the sixth to extend their lead to two runs as the Trojans held on for the 5-3 win, splitting the series 2-2 with the Cougars. 
• USF recorded four hits against the Trojans. Pesa hit 1-3 with his third home run this season and an RBI. Lytle went 1-2 at the plate with an RBI and a stolen base. Riley also collected a stolen base and a run scored. 
• Perry Stow got the start on the mound, striking out five batters while allowing four hits in 2.2 innings pitched. 
• Adams collected four strikeouts in 1.2 innings of relief. 

Up next, the Cougars (18-18, 15-9) will host the University of Northwestern Ohio at Parkview Field as part of the 2025 PSM Baseball Classic on Wednesday, April 9. The single, nine-inning game is slated to start at 3:30 p.m.

Cougar fans can stay updated on all events and recaps with USF Athletics by visiting saintfranciscougars.com.