March 1, 2006

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis senior Johnny Sweeney legged out an infield single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th to deliver a 3-2 win over Indiana State this afternoon at The Billiken Sports Center. The Billikens (2-5) saw the Sycamores tie it up in the top of the ninth to force extra innings, but used three hits in the 10th to eke out their second-consecutive victory.

The Sycamores took advantage of an early Billiken miscue to score a run in the top of the first. SLU starter Justin Wise worked around three hits to open the second inning, forcing a pop up and a double play to keep the deficit a 1-0. The Billikens responded to their starter's rally in the bottom of the frame, capitalizing on an error on Tim Landy's ground ball to short. Bill Musselman picked up the RBI on a sacrifice fly, plating Greg Rodgers', who had led off the inning with a double.

Neither team could generate much offense in the middle innings, although Indiana State left a pair stranded in the top of the sixth. Saint Louis forged ahead in the bottom of the eighth inning after Ziggy Moore beat out an infield single and Lance Rhodes drove in the first run of his career with a double in the gap in left center.

Indiana State opened the ninth with a double from Marcus Artner, forcing the Billikens to the bullpen for the second time in the game. Sophomore B.J. Rodrigue came in and recorded the inning's first two outs, but Artner moved to third. Andrew Strange sent a shot to short that the Billikens mishandled, allowing Artner to trot home for the tying run. Rodrigue regrouped to force a Cory Kral ground ball and get out of the inning.

The Billikens got a two-out double from Landy in the bottom of the ninth, but could not bring home the winning run. In the 10th, Rodrigue worked around a leadoff walk to Tim Brewer, inducing a pair of ground balls, including the inning-ending double play ball, setting the stage for the 10th-inning heroics.

Musselman led off the frame with a single down the left field line and moved to second when Moore's sacrifice was misplayed by the Sycamores. ISU went to ace closer Brian Omogrosso to hold onto the tie, and he struck out the next two hitters. Ryan Crespi tapped a single to third that loaded the bases for Sweeney. The Billiken senior took the best Omogrosso had then sent one back up the middle where shortstop Jake Eigsti could not beat the speedy Crespi to the bag for the final out.

Rodrigue picked up the first win of his career with two innings of relief after Wise struck out three and did not allow an earned run in six innings as the starter. For the Sycamores, Kovac took the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season. Crespi and Sweeney led the Billikens with two hits apiece.

Saint Louis wraps up its eight-game homestand this weekend against South Dakota State. The three-game series at The Billiken Sports Center begins on Fri., Mar. 3, at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday games are slated for 1 p.m. starts.

College Baseball Linescore R H E Indiana State 100 000 001 0 2 7 2 Saint Louis 010 000 010 1 3 9 3

WP- Rodrigue (1-0). LP- Kovac (0-1) Save - None. Battery - (ISU) Tatusko, Kovac (8), Omogrosso (10) and Ashley; (SLU) Wise, Brewer (7), Rodrigue (9) and Musselman. 2B - (ISU) Artner; (SLU) Sweeney, Rodgers, Landy, Rhodes.

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