April 8, 2000

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS - This afternoon's 3-2 game could just have well been Friday night's decision as Tulane knocked off Saint Louis 3-2 for the second-straight game in Conference USA baseball action this afternoon. A blustery day in New Orleans made for difficult conditions and limited hits in the second pitchers' duel in as many games between these two teams. The Billikens (12-18, 3-8 C-USA) rallied to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the eighth, only to see the Green Wave bounce back with a run in the bottom of the frame and hold on for the victory.

Saint Louis starter Ryan Warnecke (Highland, Ill./BAC) went the distance, giving up three runs on eight hits and striking out three. The senior falls to 2-3 on the season. Tulane's Jared Berkowitz got the win for the Green Wave.

The Billikens struck first in the top of the third when Brian Haddock (St. Louis, SLUH) got on board with a one-out single. The senior leftfielder advanced to second on an error and reached third on an Adam Shea (Chesterfield, Mo./ DeSmet) fly ball to right. Haddock scored when Nick Steiner (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) forced Tulane's second baseman into his second error of the inning.

The Green Wave put a pair of runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Matt Groff put a two-RBI single down the rightfield line. Tulane had runners on second and third with one out, but the Billikens shut down a double steal, as Shea tagged Groff out and home before gunning down Jay Heintz at second.

Berkowitz kept the Billikens off the bases for the next three innings, before yielding three hits in a one-run eighth inning. Eric Constable (Chesterfield, Mo./Marquette) led off with a single to right and got to second on Haddock's sacrifice bunt. Shea drove in the run with a two-out single up the middle, advancing to second on the throw home. Steiner put a single in shallow centerfield to move Shea to third, but the Billiken catcher was waved home and tagged out at the plate to end the inning.

Warnecke took the mound in the bottom of the inning all tied at two and gave up a lead off double to James Jurries. The Green Wave second baseman was sacrificed to third before Saint Louis intentionally walked Friday night's hero Jake Gautreau. Warnecke induced a pair of fly balls for the final two outs, but Jurries scored on the first to put the Green Wave back on top.

These two teams wrap up their three-game set on Sun., April 9 at 1 p.m.