March 6, 2001

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Bradley University's Steve Strickler hit two home runs to put the Braves past Saint Louis University 9-5 this afternoon in college baseball action at The Billiken Sports Center. The Billikens (4-5) had a 5-2 lead after five innings, but could not contain the Braves offense which scored seven unanswered to take the victory.

A three-run seventh gave the Braves a one-run lead going into the eighth inning. Billiken reliever Jake Baumgartner (Auxvasse, Mo./North Callaway) had come in to stop the seventh-inning scoring and had two outs in the eighth when he walked Jason Morelock. That free pass set the table for Strickler who was swinging on the first pitch and crushed his second dinger of the game to plate three runs and give the Braves a comfortable lead.

After tying the scoring in the bottom of the third on a wild pitch, the Billikens took the lead in the fifth by putting together some solid hitting. Leadoff man Paul Miles (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary's) reached on an error and advanced on Nick Steiner's (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) single to left. Senior Ben Caffey (St. Louis, Mo./South Alabama), who struggled at the plate today, flied out before Mike Orrico (Boca Raton, Fla./Olympic Heights) doubled down the right field line to score Miles. Steiner scored next on Jim Bredenkoetter's (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet) sacrifice fly and senior Brandon Shockley (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) drove in Orrico with a single up the middle.

The Braves got to Billiken starter Dan Shouse (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) early with two runs in the first, but the lefthander settled in after the second inning. After walking two in the sixth, reliever Brad Wehrfritz (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) took over, lasting only an inning as he struggled to throw strikes. Freshman Dave Guntorius (St. Charles, Mo./Howell Central) replaced Baumgartner in the seventh and efficiently retired the remaining four batters.

Wehrfritz took the loss for the Billikens, while Brave reliever Derek Goins picked up the win for Bradley.

Saint Louis returns to action on Thu., March 8, in a makeup date with Southwest Missouri State at 2:30 p.m. at The Billiken Sports Center.