ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - For the second straight day, the Ashford University Saints' baseball team played a different Saints, this time the University of St. Francis (Ill.), but Sunday's seven-inning contest resulted in a narrow 5-3 defeat at the Florida Collegiate Jamboree.

Ashford (1-7 overall) was coming off a late-stage loss against the Saints of Aquinas College (Mich.) yesterday to kick off play during the squad's spring excursion, but the team wasn't about to get complacent against USF's Gordie Gillespie, known as the winningest coach in college baseball history.

Heading into 2010, the St. Francis skipper had amassed an unprecedented 1,816 wins in his 24-year tenure dating back to 1977.

But the Saints were undaunted in their quest to make a statement against the brown-and-white clad USF opposition and nearly completed a remarkable rally.

"We're building confidence being able to compete and have the go-ahead runs on base against a high-caliber program like St. Francis," AU Head Coach John Govek said. "We're one step away from turning the page and becoming that successful program."

"We play every game to win and we're still trying to establish a lineup before conference and a bullpen order," he added. "Right now, we're one mistake away in each game to collect the wins. We've yet to get away with making a defensive miscue that hasn't hurt us. It's exciting to be competitive with these teams."

Govek received a valiant effort on the mound from junior starter Nick Davis of Walnut, Ill. He induced three straight groundouts in the first inning and was just charged with just two earned runs after a costly throwing error.

Despite an 0-3 record on the mound to begin the season, Davis lowered his already respectable ERA downed to 3.60. He lasted six strong innings, allowing seven hits -- all singles -- and mowing down three opponents.

"Pitching has been solid so far," Govek said. "Nick Davis took us deep into the game with a chance to win. He competed very hard and minimized damage by leaving some of their guys on base as well."

Davis allowed the first two hitters to reach base in the second inning on back-to-back singles and was on the verge of escaping the jam after a sacrifice bunt and a three-pitch strikeout. But what should have been the third out turned into an errant throw by Anthony Misitano of Sycamore, Ill., that sailed above first base and two subsequent runs scored.

Junior Austin Poindexter of Bettendorf continued his torrid hitting to begin the year, ripping three hits off USF starter David Hexdall. It was his third multi-hit game of the year and he has at least one hit in seven of AU's eight games to date.

Brandon VanBlaricome of Bettendorf drew a bases-loaded walk to put Ashford on the board in the fourth frame.

VanBlaricome then loaded the bases in the sixth inning with a bunt single. Freshman Taylor Boyer of Billings, Mont., followed with an RBI single in his first career start and a double play brought in another run.

USF's Cory Schultz recorded the save with a scoreless final inning despite giving up two hits.

Ashford returns to action tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. with a doubleheader scheduled against West Virginia Institute of Technology.