March 5, 2000

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University baseball failed complete its three-game sweep of the UIC Flames with a 15-8 loss this afternoon at The Billiken Sports Center. Despite three RBI on 4-for-6 hitting by junior John McLaughlin(Glencoe, Mo./Eureka), the Billikens' six pitchers could not keep the Flames off the board.

Saint Louis falls to 3-7 on the season while UIC improves to 2-10.

The Flames opened the game with a two-out solo home run by Eric Duke in the first inning. The Billikens answered with two runs on three singles in the bottom half of the inning. UIC added four runs in the second before blowing the game open in the top of the third.

A hit batter and an error in the third loaded the bases for the Flames with no outs. Shortstop Doug Vetter hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in the Flames' sixth run of the day. Duke's two-out single scored two more before first baseman Bob Rosinski drove in another one. After J.P. Moran drew a walk, UIC saw its third pitcher of the inning. The next batter, third baseman Mike Deahl, drove a single into center to score two more runs for an 11-2 lead.

The Billikens rallied late in the game with all three of McLaughlin's RBI coming in the sixth and seventh innings on two-out singles. Saint Louis closed the gap to 11-5 through six, but gave up three runs in the top of the seventh to cancel out their own three-run seventh inning. The Flames added one more in the top of the eighth as closer Brad Goebbert did not allow the Billikens a hit in the final two frames.

Starter Ben Hutton (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) took the loss for the Billikens, despite pitching just two innings. For the Flames starter Sean McNichols picked up the win.

The Billikens are back in action Tue., Mar. 7 at Arkansas. First pitch is at 4 p.m.