Down to its final three outs, St. Ambrose rallied for three runs to keep its season alive with an 8-7 win over No. 22 Huntington (Ind.) Tuesday afternoon in the NAIA Opening Round in Bellevue, Neb.

Trailing 7-5 entering the ninth, the Bees rallied with the benefit of just a single hit.

Pinch hitter Mason Nauman started the inning with a walk and one out later, Michael Rago walked. Jake Pauley's ground ball was gloved by the first baseman, but his throw was off the mark, allowing Mason Heitzler, who re-entered the game for Nauman, to score. On the play, Rago was tripped up by the shortstop and the obstruction call put runners on second and third with only one out.

Quinn Flanagan then walked to load the bases. Filip Milatovic got the only hit of the inning with a sharp single to right to plate Rago to tie the game at 7-7.

Michael Stupavsky followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Pauley with the go-ahead run.

In his third inning of work, Noah Chase retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to close out the victory.

With the win, St. Ambrose (33-21) will play host and No. 2-ranked Bellevue at 6 p.m. Tuesday in another elimination game.

The Bees got off to a fast start in the win over the Foresters.

A four-run third inning featured a pair of home runs. 

Rago started the inning with a drive over the centerfielder's head. The ball bounced off the wall back towards right and Rago hustled all the way around for an inside-the-park homer.

After Pauley singled and Flanagan reached on an error, Bryce Vorwald ripped a two-out three-run home run off the scoreboard in left-center to give SAU a 4-0 lead.

Huntington (39-14) got three runs back in the fourth and took a 6-4 lead in the sixth.

Eric Gonzalez blasted a solo shot to left in the seventh to get the Bees to within 6-5 before the Foresters added a run in the bottom of the eighth to set up the Bees' ninth-inning rally.

Pauley led the offensive attack with three hits. Flanagan, Milatovic, Vorwald, Gonzalez, Rago and Matthew McBrien also had hits.

Connor Bird started on the mound and went 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs. Michael Moise went 1 1/3 before giving way to Chase, who struck out four in earning the win.