March 28, 2001

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Saint Louis University baseball scored six runs on nine hits, but could not stop the Southeast Missouri State offense for the second day in a row as the Indians posted a 10-6 victory this afternoon at Capaha Field. A pair of Billikens were solid at the plate with three hits each, but the Indian offense exploded with four runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to blow the game open.

The Billikens jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after generating just one run in yesterday's matchup with SEMO at The Billiken Sports Center. Junior Andrew Slania (Houston, Texas/San Diego City College) opened the third with a leadoff home run, his first of the season. Junior Kurt Evans (Germantown, Tenn./Christian Bros.) slapped a one-out single to right and stole second to get into scoring position. He advanced to third and senior Paul Miles (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary's) drew a walk to put runners on the corners for senior Nick Steiner (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central). The Billiken second baseman plated Evans with a sacrifice fly to right.

The sacrifice fly also generated the Bills' third run as sophomore Steve Moss (Arnold, Mo./St. Pius X) drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on Slania's bunt single and a wild pitch. Sophomore Joe Boyer (St. Louis, Mo./Hillsboro) brought Moss home with a sac fly to center. The Billikens were looking for more as Evans drew a walk and Miles was hit by a pitch to set the table for Steiner, but the senior could not keep the inning alive.

Junior starter Brad Wehrfritz (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) had command of the Indians early, allowing just three hits through four innings, but SEMO started to locate his pitches in the fifth. A leadoff double started the trouble and back-to-back singles plated the Indians' first run of the game. A three-run homer from designated hitter Brad Beatty gave the Indians a 4-3 lead.

The sixth was not any more kind to Wehrfritz as he saw three more Indians cross the plate before turning it over to freshman Dave Guntorius (St. Charles, Mo./Howell Central) with two outs and one man on. The Billiken reliever gave up two RBI singles and allowed another run to score on a wild pitch. By the time he recorded the final out, the Indians were up 9-3.

Saint Louis needed some offense and it had the right players coming to the plate in the seventh. Senior Andrew Slania (Houston, Texas/San Diego City College) also notched his third hit of the evening to plate Bredenkoetter and cut the lead to 9-6.

A leadoff home run by SEMO's Tristen McDonald in the bottom of the seventh capped the scoring for both teams, although the Billikens threatened in the ninth, loading the bases with two out. Boyer's fly ball to center killed the rally.

The Billikens host their first Conference USA series this weekend when 15th-ranked Tulane comes to town. The first game is set for Fri., March 30, at 4 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday games beginning at 1 p.m.