April 26, 2000

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University baseball went 12 innings for the second-straight game this afternoon in a 6-5 loss to UT Martin at The Billiken Sports Center. Billiken pitchers gave up three home runs in the game, including solo shots good for the tying run in the ninth and the winning run in the 12th.

Saint Louis scored once in the first inning before UTM answered with a run in the top of the second to tie it up. The Skyhawks added three in the third behind an RBI single from rightfielder Brian Baker and a two-run homer by Joe Ayers. The Billiken bats were quiet until the bottom of the sixth when Adam Shea (Chesterfield, Mo./DeSmet) plated Jim Bredenkoetter (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet) with a one-out triple. Nick Steiner (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) drove in Shea with a single to right that pulled the Bills within one run a 4-3.

After retiring the Skyhawks in the top of the seventh, Saint Louis added two in the bottom of the frame to go ahead 5-4. Shea reached on an error that plated Eric Constable (Chesterfield, Mo./Marquette) who singled and Paul Miles (St. Louis, Mo./Jefferson College) who drew a walk.

Reliever Dan Parker (Ballwin, Mo./SLUH) got the first two batters in the top of the ninth to ground out, but gave up a solo home run to Justin Deere that tied the game. The Billikens had Constable in scoring position at second with one out, but two fly balls from Bredenkoetter and Steiner ended the threat. Saint Louis had another chance in the bottom of the 10th when John McLaughlin (Glencoe, Mo./Eureka) hit a leadoff single and was sacrificed to second by Joe Boyer (St. Louis, Mo./Hillsboro). The junior rightfielder was picked off just a head of a fly ball third out.

In the top of the 12th, the Skyhawks got a solo home run from Baker to grab the lead. For the Billikens, Steiner legged out a two-out triple to centerfield and keep hope alive. Pinch hitter Brian Haddock (St. Louis, SLUH) grounded out to strand the run and hang the Bills with the loss.

The Billikens are back in Conference USA action this weekend when they host nationally-ranked Houston in a three-game series beginning Fri., April 28 at 7 p.m. All three games of the series will be broadcast live on WINU 880 AM.