April 17, 2001

Box Score

PEORIA, Ill. - Saint Louis University baseball posted a 6-3 victory over Bradley this afternoon at Pete Vonachen Stadium to avenge a home loss earlier this season. Three Billikens posted two hits in the game, and starter Brad Wehrfritz (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) pitched out of trouble to help his team improve to 18-19 on the season.

The offense started early for the Billikens, who out-hit the Braves 10-7, as Steve Moss (Arnold, Mo./St. Pius X) opened the game with a single to right field. A pair of walks and an error later, the Billikens were on the board. Moss again got the offense rolling in the fifth as he took first after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second on Andrew Slania's (Houston, Texas/San Diego City College) single to right field. Senior Nick Steiner (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) drew the first of his two walks in the game to load the bases. Junior Jim Bredenkoetter (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet) drew a walk to plate Moss and Slania scored on Ben Caffey's (St. Louis, Mo./South Alabama) sacrifice fly to left. Senior Brandon Shockley (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) wrapped up the scoring with an RBI single to left that drove in Steiner and the Bills had a 4-0 lead.

Answering the Billiken three-run frame, the Braves finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. A single, an error and a walk loaded the bases for Shane Ohland, who delivered an infield single to put Bradley on the board. A Ryan Sullivan single delivered two more runs and the Braves had cut a four-run deficit to one.

The Billikens went quietly in the sixth and a leadoff double for the Braves' Steve Strickler indicated a significant change in momentum, but Wehrfritz induced a pair of ground balls and a harmless pop-up to get out of the inning. Rejuvenated by their defensive stand, the Billiken offense went back to work in the seventh. Senior Mike Orrico (Boca Raton, Fla./Olympic Heights) led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on an error. Bredenkoetter hit a sacrifice fly to center to push the lead back to two at 5-3.

Sophomore reliever Dan Parker (Ballwin, Mo./SLUH) took over for Wehrfritz in the home half of the seventh and pitched around an error that allowed the leadoff hitter to get on base. A leadoff single from Joe Boyer (St. Louis, Mo./Hillsboro) put the Billikens back in business in the eighth as the sophomore scored two batters later on Slania's single.

The Billikens return to Conference USA action this weekend when they host Cincinnati in a three-game series beginning Fri., Apr. 20, at 7 p.m. at The Billiken Sports Center.