March 20, 2004

Final Stats

CHARLOTTE - Saint Louis University saw three innings get away from them in a 16-11 loss at Charlotte in Conference USA baseball action this afternoon. The Billikens (6-12, 0-2 C-USA) had power at the plate, but struggled from the mound as the 49ers scored all 16 runs in just three innings against six pitchers. The loss came despite a three-RBI outing from freshman Jon Greenwich, which included his first career home run.

The Billikens kept the 49ers off the board early as starter Kurt Struckhoff forced Charlotte to leave seven men on base through the first three innings. SLU struck first for the second time against the 49ers as Pat Steinhoff scored on a passed ball and sophomore Johnny Sweeney plated Scott Peden with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Senior Brad Daubach drew a walk to lead off the fifth and set the stage for Greenwich's two-run shot for a 4-0 lead.

Charlotte opened the bottom of the fifth with a bang as Kris Rochelle and Brian Scafe each homered to left to cut the Billiken lead in half. With two outs in the inning, Randall Poplin roped a double to right, and Adam Floyd tied the game with the inning's third home run to left. Struckhoff turned the game over to senior left-hander Kris Weber, who fanned Cory Lane to end the inning. Saint Louis wasted no time in re-establishing its lead. Senior Kyle Wort hit his team-high fourth home run of the season with one-out in the sixth, and Daubach's single to center plated Sweeney, who reached on a bunt single.

The 49ers began their take over of the game in the bottom of the sixth. After Weber retired two, Jamie Rusco drove in a run with a double then scored the tying run on Scafe's triple. Scafe gave the 49ers the lead when he scored on Spencer Steedley's triple to right center, which also sent Weber to the dugout in favor of Joe Buehler. The Billiken senior right-hander did not fare any better against the surging 49er bats, however. A pair of singles, an error and a double drove in three more runs to give Charlotte a 10-6 lead and bring sophomore Eric Rohr to the mound for the Billikens. Control problems bred a pair of walks before Rohr caught Rochelle looking at strike three for the inning's last out.

After reliever Travis Vann retired the Billikens in the top of the seventh, the 49ers struck what would be the decisive blow with six more runs in the bottom of the inning. The scoring came on just two hits as Charlotte capitalized on six walks, three wild pitches, a balk and an error against Billiken left-hander Karl Steinlage in his first career C-USA game. The Billiken offense tried to stage a comeback in the eighth with five runs on four hits, including Peden's second home run in as many games against Charlotte, but 49er reliever Matt Foard came on to end the eighth and close the door in the ninth.

The two teams will wrap up their three-game series on Sun., Mar. 21, at 11 a.m. (CT).