April 16, 2002

Final Stats

PEORIA, Ill. - Saint Louis University recorded seven extra-base hits including a pair of home runs in a 12-11 win at Bradley in college baseball action at Vonachen Stadium this evening. Junior Ryan Murphy matched his career high with three RBI and senior Kurt Evans went 3-for-4, including just the second home run of his career to lead the offense.

A nine-run fifth inning appeared to give the Billikens a decisive 11-1 lead, but the Braves battled to protect their home field with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, three in the sixth and four in the seventh to knot the game at 11-11. Relinquishing the lead for the first time, the Billikens rallied in the eighth as Evans drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Corey Lawson. Sophomore Drew Eder's ground ball to second moved Evans to third for Murphy to pick up the third of his RBIs on a double to left. The Billikens tried to extend the lead, and the Braves looked to be helping the cause as Jim Bredenkoetter reached on an error that also moved Murphy to third. Sophomore Kyle Wort drew a walk to load the bases, but junior Andrew Slania hit into a fielder's choice to leave the bases loaded.

After closing out the seventh inning, senior reliever Greg Coles took the mound in the eighth and, despite a walk, retired the Braves easily. A leadoff single opened Bradley's final at-bat, but Coles induced a pair of ground balls and a fly ball to center to end the threat and pick up his first career win.

Despite a downturn in recent games, the Billiken offense got rolling early against Bradley. In the first inning, Evans made a leadoff walk pay off as he scored two batters later on Eder's single to left center. Saint Louis got a leadoff double from Slania to open the second inning. The junior catcher scored on the first of freshman Pat Steinhoff's two RBI on the night.

The Billikens exploded in the fifth, starting with Evan's home run to left center. After Lawson was hit by a pitch, Eder's single to center generated an error that allowed Lawson to score just ahead of Murphy's two-run shot to right center. Bredenkoetter kept things going with a double down the right field line, and Wort drew a walk before BU starter Brad Garrett turned the game over to Paul Tokarz. The new hurler had little impact on the rolling offense as Jake Friederich drove in both runners on a single to right. Steinhoff drilled his first career triple to score Friederich. Tokarz gave way to Meers as the Billikens batted around. Evans picked up his second RBI of the inning with a single through the left side to give the Bills an 11-1 lead.

While the offense provided great run support, the Billiken pitching staff struggled to keep the Braves off the board. Starter Zach Placzek was solid early, but finished his five innings with four runs scoring on six hits. The junior gave way to senior Torrey Lombardo in the sixth inning. In his first appearance since sidelined with an injury on Mar. 20, Lombardo couldn't find his control as he saw three runs score on just one hit and three walks in two-thirds of an inning. Junior Jake Baumgartner replaced Lombardo with two outs and two on and, for the first time all season, allowed the inherited runners to score before closing out the sixth. Baumgartner's troubles continued in the seventh when a walk, a single, a double and a triple opened the inning for the Braves. Coles took over with the bases loaded and no outs. The senior allowed a pair of hits in the frame that allowed the tying runs to score, but was able to hold the Braves over the final two innings to secure the victory.

Six Billikens recorded multiple hits in the game, led by Evans and Eder with three each. Murphy's three RBI was a game high, followed by Friederich, Steinhoff and Evans with two each.

Saint Louis is back in action tomorrow, Apr. 17, when the Billikens travel to Missouri for a makeup game with the Tigers beginning at 6:30 p.m.