MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – #12 ranked St. Thomas (17-6) defeats Saint Xavier (2-6) in afternoon game at Paul Demie Mainieri. The Bobcats topped the Cougars 27-9 in the seven inning game. Eric Santamaria led the Bobcats hitting four for five on the day with five RBI and two doubles. Alejandro Kan picks up his second win after two innings and a third of work. Bobcats hit for a combined 22 hits on the day.

To start the game, the Cougars tacked on their first run in the first inning, but STU would quickly respond in the bottom half of the inning, as a Jerry Downs RBI single and Paul Chacin RBI groundout put the Bobcats ahead to end the inning. After Saint Xavier would add another four runs in the top of the second, STU would answer with a monster inning in the bottom of the third as they posted 10 runs from a Eric Santamaria RBI single, a Brandon Canizares two RBI double, a Michael Centeno RBI single, an Adam Duarte bunt single RBI, a passed ball later scoring Centeno, a Chacin RBI single, another Eric Santamaria hit resulting in a two RBI double and a Rodriguez RBI double to end the onslaught.

The Cougars would fight back with a run in the fourth, but the Bobcats were too much at the plate for Saint Xavier, as they put another seven runs up in the fourth to extend their lead to 13 on the game. The biggest hit that inning came from a Chacin three RBI double. STU would put up another eight runs up in the bottom of the sixth, with the biggest hit coming from a Nicholas Adorno three-run homer.

On the mound for the Bobcats, starting pitcher Jose Lazaro was only able to go an inning and two-thirds. The bullpen took the rest of the game over as Kan, Andres Hernandez, Tyeler Checkley  and Alex Viera made appearances to secure the Bobcat victory. Kan would be awarded with the win after coming in first relief.

STU heads to Embry-Riddle this Friday for a three-game series in Daytona Beach. First pitch Friday scheduled to be at 6 p.m.