March 31, 2006

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis dropped its first one-run game of the season tonight, falling 7-6 to Duquesne in Atlantic 10 Conference baseball action at The Billiken Sports Center. The Billikens (11-12, 2-2 A-10) loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but could not finish off the two-out rally. Senior Jon Guyre and junior Bill Musselman each drove in two runs for SLU, as the Billikens out-hit the Dukes (6-15, 2-2 A-10) 11-7 on the night.

The Dukes struck first in the top of the second inning after Mike Carroll led off with a double to center field. Joe Berletic plated the run on a ground ball, and Alex Sharick made it a 2-0 lead with he scored on a passed ball. The lead did not last long, however, as the Billikens answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame on Guyre's two-out triple to center. Duquesne again surged ahead in the top of the fourth on a Sharick sacrifice fly to plate Carroll, who had led off the inning with a single up the middle.

SLU took advantage of a Duquesne error to open a four-run fifth inning. Greg Rodgers roped a single down the right field line to plate Ryan Crespi from second base. Tim Landy and Gilbert Marlowe hit back-to-back singles to load the bases for Musselman's two-run single through the left side. Ziggy Moore made it a 6-3 margin with an RBI single through the left side before Duquese starter Jeff Naughton got out of the inning.

The Dukes swing back with a four-run inning of their own in the seventh, led off by Sharick's solo home run to left. A walk and a single forced SLU starter Dave Sever off the mound, but reliever Etienne Ratte-Delorme struggled from the start of his outing. After hitting Steve Maiolo with a pitch, Ratte-Delorme induced a ground ball that allowed Anthony Manley to score from third. A walk to Derek Mechling loaded the bases, and Ratte-Delorme issued two more free passes to allow the Dukes to regain the lead at 7-6. Senior Kurt Struckhoff came out of the bullpen to close out the inning with a foul ball and a strikeout.

Facing Duquesne reliever Adam Haun in the seventh and eighth innings, the Billikens did not solve the right-hander until the bottom of the ninth. Crespi led off with a single to center and moved to third on Rodgers' single through the right side. After Haun struck out Landy for the second out, he hit Marlowe with a pitch to load the bases. Musselman worked the count full before Haun picked up the save with a strike out.

Naughton collected the win for Duquesne, improving to 2-0 on the season as he allowed five earned runs and struck out four in six innings. Haun earned his second save, limiting the Bills to just three hits and striking out three in three innings. Ratte-Delorme took the loss for SLU after walking three batters in the pivotal seventh inning. Rodgers, Marlowe and Musselman each recorded two hits for SLU, while Carroll was the lone Duke with multiple hits.

The two teams meet again on Sat., Apr. 1, at 1 p.m. at The Billiken Sports Center.