March 26, 2000

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Leading 4-3 in the top of the ninth, Saint Louis University baseball yielded four unearned runs as the Memphis Tigers handed the Billikens a 7-4 loss. Freshman starter Zach Placzek (Omaha, Neb./Creighton Prep) was stellar through six innings, but got in trouble in the top of the fifth. After nine fielding errors in the last two games, the Billikens (8-13, 2-4 C-USA) were perfect in the field before two costly errors extended the Memphis ninth inning.

The game was a pitchers duel through the first four innings, although the Billikens used a fielding error by Memphis second baseman Daniel Uggla to record a run in the bottom of the third. In the top of the fifth, Placzek had two outs and the bases loaded when a wild pitch brought in the first Tiger run of the game. Henry Castor came on in relief in the bottom of the fifth and sat the Bills down in order.

Saint Louis put three runs on the board in the fourth as a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt put runners on the corners with one out. Adam Shea (Chesterfield, Mo./DeSmet) drove a run with a single to left field. A double steal by Shea and Nick Steiner (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) put runners at second and third for John McLaughlin (Glencoe, Mo./Eureka) who drove them in with a stand-up double. McLaughlin was picked off and Jim Bredenkoetter flied out to end the inning with Saint Louis up 4-1.

Memphis answered with a pair of runs in the seventh when Castor posted an RBI double. Wes Jaillet (Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette) came on for Placzek and got Tony Lomeli to ground into a double play, but another run scored to pull the Tigers within one.

Down just 4-3, Caster again sat the Billikens down in order in the seventh and eighth innings, while the Tigers mounted a rally in the top of the ninth. A pair of two-out walks had runners on base for Ricky Clinton, who hit a ground ball to short that Paul Miles (St. Louis, Mo./Jefferson College) could not handle, and the bases were loaded for Paul Reuer. Jaillet forced another ground ball, this to third, that Brandon Shockley (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) could not come up with and the tying run crossed the plate. Gabe Interiano drew a bases loaded walk to drive in the eventual winning run. Ben Hutton (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) came in to try to end the rally, but Uggla hit a sacrifice fly to bring in another run. First baseman Jay Fik drove in the final run on a single to left center.

Jaillet (1-4) took the loss for Saint Louis, while Castor got the win and Sean Carlson got his second save of the series.

Saint Louis returns to action Tues., Mar. 28 at Bradley in a 3 p.m. game with the Braves.