Feb. 26, 2006

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis baseball fell just short Sunday afternoon, falling to Creighton 5-2 in the series finale at The Billiken Sports Center. The Billikens (0-5) had two on with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Bluejays' reliever Teddy Ogilvie induced a fly ball to save the win for starter Ben Mancuso. For SLU, Jon Guyre posted a pair of singles, including a drive down the right field line in the bottom of the ninth.

Creighton (5-3) took advantage of an error in the top of the second to push an unearned run across on SLU starter Eric Rohr. Chase Odenreider lifted a sacrifice fly to right in the top of the fourth to make it a 2-0 lead, and Curtis Smith's single to left plated another unearned run in the top of the fourth.

After Rohr retired the side in order in the top of the fifth, the Odenreider opened the sixth with an infield single. After Rohr walked Darin Ruf, Ryan Urzendowski moved both runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Designated hitter Michael Lam plated both with a single up the middle for a 5-0 margin. Smith laid down another sacrifice to put Lam in scoring position, but Rohr limited the damage when he retired John Nowacyzk on called strike three.

Trailing by five, the Billiken offense came to life in the bottom of the sixth against relievers Dan Stanley and Zak Moore. Johnny Sweeney drew a one-out walk from Stanley, and, after retiring the next hitter, Stanley hit Tim Landy with a pitch. Sophomore Greg Rodgers ripped a pinch-hit single down the right field line to bring Sweeney around. Sophomore B.J. Rodrigue plated Landy with a single through the left side, cutting the lead to 5-2. Moore took over for Stanley and ended the inning with the first of his three strikeouts on the afternoon.

Rohr wrapped up the seventh in quick fashion, and reliever Etienne Ratte-Delorme similarly retired the Bluejays in the eighth and ninth innings. After Pat Venditte issued a walk to Gilbert Marlowe to open the ninth, Ogilvie came in and got Tom Pinnell to fly out for the first out. Guyre then tucked a single inside the right field line to keep things going for the Bills. Ryan Crespi flied out to right, allowing Marlowe to move to third, and a wild pitch put Guyre in scoring position as well. Ogilvie ran the count full on Sweeney as the Billiken senior battled off a series of pitches before flying out to end the threat.

Mancuso collected his second win of the season, allowing just one hit in five innings, while Rohr took his first loss of the year despite allowing just two earned runs in seven innings of work. Guyre and CU's Chad Ogden led all hitters with two hits apiece, while Lam and Smith each drove in a pair of runs for Creighton.

The Billikens continue their eight-game homestand with a 2 p.m. game against Bradley on Tue., Feb. 28.