LANGHORNE, Pa. – The Cairn University baseball team split their Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) opening doubleheader at home against Saint Elizabeth University on Saturday, dropping game one by a 12-8 margin before grabbing a 14-13 victory in game two in eight innings due to darkness. Cairn's game-two victory marked the first win inside the G. Patrick Stillman Athletic Complex in the facilities' brief history.
 
In game one, Cairn (8-7, 1-1 CSAC) battled with Saint Elizabeth (5-11, 1-1 CSAC) to a 4-4 tied through three innings of play, before the Eagles tacked on a run in three-consecutive innings to lead 7-4 after six innings. Both team added multiple runs in the seventh frame and the Eagles held a 9-7 advantage after seven innings. Saint Elizabeth utilized a three-spot in the eighth inning to take a comfortable lead and closed out the contest in the ninth. Saint Elizabeth benefited from the long-ball in game one, striping four home runs in the contest to gain the advantage over the Highlanders. Cairn was led in game one by junior Samuel Spadea (Yardley, PA / Pennsbury) who tallied a game-high three hits to go along with a pair of RBIs. Sophomore Connor Ferguson (Laguna Niguel, CA / Capistrano Valley Christian School) turned in Cairn's best performance on the mound in game one, tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless ball while giving up no hits in relief.
 
In game two, both teams again relied on their offense as Saint Elizabeth held a 13-11 lead going into the eighth inning. With darkness coming into play, the Highlanders were down to their final hitters with the game on the line. Spadea got the Highlanders within one after lacing an RBI-double down the left field line to make it 13-12, before junior Tyler Fox (Boyertown, PA / West-Mont Christian Academy) stepped to the plate with two outs and the game on the line. Fox delivered with an RBI-single into centerfield to knot the game up at 13 a-piece. After a pair of walks loaded the bases with two outs, senior Quinton Pertkiewicz (Pinellas Park, FL / Keswick Christian) drew a free pass after working a full count to give Cairn the lead at 14-13, before the game was called at the conclusion of the inning due to darkness. Spadea and Fox lifted the Highlander offense, each recording four hits (both career-highs). Spadea drove in a game-high four runs, while both Spadea and Fox each scored a game-high three runs a-piece. Freshman Joseph Battaglia (Manasquan, NJ / Brentwood Academy) picked up the win after tossing just two-thirds of a inning in relief and holding the Eagles to no runs while on the bump.
 
Cairn will be back on the diamond on Monday, March 28 when it travels to Radnor for the first game of a home-and-home series with non-conference adversary Cabrini University at 3:30 p.m.