JOLIET, Ill. -- The Purdue University Northwest baseball team dropped a non-conference game against St. Francis (Ill.), 8-4, at Route 66 Stadium in Joliet, Illinois on Thursday.

The Fighting Saints (11-11) put up a four-spot in the opening frame to ahead 4-0 against the Pride (2-11) in the first inning.

PNW cut the lead in half in the top of the third inning to make it 4-2. Freshman Ray Hilbrich (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) hit a two-run home run to right field which scored senior Austin Kordik (West Chicago, Ill./Community/College of DuPage) from first base.

USF answered right away in the bottom half of the third with two runs with some wild pitching to make it 6-2.  The Pride responded with two in the fifth inning to make it 6-4.

Junior Hunter Thorn (Portage, Ind./Portage) ripped an RBI double to left center that scored junior Nick Albanese (Algonquin, Ill./Marian Central Catholic/Kankakee CC) from second base to make it 6-3. Junior Ray Hansen (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita/South Suburban CC) singled to left that scored sophomore Jarrett Lopez (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central/Indiana Tech) from second which made it 6-4.

Once again, the Fighting Saints had the answer in the bottom of the frame with two more runs off PNW sophomore reliever Justin Walter (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) that made it 8-4.

Senior Jade Doyle (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove/Ancilla) took the loss as the starting pitcher on the mound (0-1) after going three innings, scattering six hits, allowing six runs (all earned), issued four walks and struck out three.

Junior Caden Bell (Hammond, Ind./HAST) impressed out of the bullpen, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings, not allowing a hit and striking out one.

PNW returns to action Friday, March 22 as the Pride host their first-four game Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference series of the season as the Pride take on Northwood starting at 3 p.m. CT.