March 12, 2003

Final Stats

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Saint Louis University baseball dropped its first game in four outings with a 9-4 decision at Southeast Missouri State this afternoon. The Billikens got behind early and could not get past SEMO starter Tim Alvarez, despite three Indian errors. SLU (4-4) managed just four hits in the outing after a pair of hot-hitting games last weekend.

Billiken starter Kurt Struckhoff fell behind quickly with a two-run home run by Zach Borowiak in the first inning and a two-RBI single by Seth Moulton in the second frame. Senior reliever Zach Placzek did not fare much better after he came on in the fifth. SEMO pushed the lead to 7-0 on a two-run homer by Brian Hopkins before the Billikens even got on the board.

SLU finally broke through in the sixth when senior Jake Friederich led off the inning with a single and got to third on a failed pickoff attempt by Alvarez. Senior catcher Andrew Slania plated Friederich with a ground out. The Billikens got a break when Ryan Murphy reached on an error, and Don Rogers was hit by a pitch. With two on and one out, Corey Lawson drove a double to right center, his fourth of the season, to plate two more runs. The senior left fielder stole third and scored on a balk to cut the lead to 7-4.

The gap did not stay narrowed for long as the Indians scored two more in the bottom of the sixth. A hit batter and a double by Denver Stuckey drove Placzek from the mound in place of freshman Johnny Sweeney. The reliever issued a pair of walks to load the bases and score a run before turning the game over to junior Joe Buehler. A Borowiak single pushed the lead to 9-4 before Buehler could record a strikeout and induce a ground ball to end the inning.

The Billikens had designs on a ninth-inning rally when Lawson drew a leadoff walk from SEMO reliever James Beever, but a pair of strikeouts and a ground ball sealed the game for the Indians.

For the Billikens, Struckhoff took the loss, his first of the season, after giving up five runs on six hits in four innings on the mound. Alvarez remained perfect on the mound with a 4-0 record, recording five strikeouts in eight innings of work.

Saint Louis opens Conference USA play this weekend, traveling to Southern Miss. The three-game series opens on Fri., Mar. 14, at 6:30 p.m.