April 26, 2006

Box Score

SAUGET, Ill. - Four Saint Louis errors helped Southern Illinois to an opportunistic 5-3 win tonight at GCS Ballpark. The Billikens matched SIU's 10 hits with nine of their own, but saw an unearned run in each of the final three innings undo the offensive effort. Senior Johnny Sweeney led the team with three hits, while Greg Rodgers drove in two of the three runs on a triple in the fifth inning.

The Billikens had a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings, but SIU starter Kyle Catto kept SLU off the board. The Salukis took advantage of an error to go up 1-0 in the bottom of the second. After Bret Maugeri hit a single to center, SLU starter Lance Rhodes recorded his second strikeout of the inning. Hunter Harrigan dropped another single into center field, where a misplay allowed Maugeri to score all the way from first.

The Salukis made it a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Kevin Koski led off with a double just inside the left field line and scored on Grant Gerrard's single to left. The Billikens threatened in the top of the fourth when Bill Musselman legged out an infield single. He moved to second when Casey Moore drew a walk. A wild pitch sent Musselman to third, but Moore was thrown out trying to get to second. Catto walked Mark Hankes to put runners on the corners, but fanned Matt Mach and got Tom Pinnell to fly out to center to keep the Bills scoreless.

SLU took the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth. Gilbert Marlowe singled to left, which sent the Salukis to the bullpen for Shane Garner. The Billikens put the hit-and-run on to open a lane for Sweeney to slap a single through the right side. Rodgers sent a shot to centerfield that sent Koski diving to his right, but he missed the grab and saw the ball roll all the way to the wall, allowing Rodgers to pick up his first career triple to knot the game 2-2. Musselman ripped a shot on the third-base line, which Matt Brewer stabbed to hold Rodgers at third. A wild pitch advanced both Musselman and Rodgers with the go-ahead run before Garner closed out the frame.

With a 3-2 lead, Rhodes battled in the bottom of the fifth as Koski led off with a single to left. Scott Elmendorf dropped a perfectly-placed bunt in between the mound and first, and, after a fielder's choice, Erik Alvarez drew a walk to load the bases with just one out. Rhodes fanned Brewer, and got a ground ball off the bat of Maugeri to leave all three runners stranded and preserve his lead.

After the Billikens went down in order in the top of the sixth, SIU capitalized on a Billiken error to tie things up 3-3 in the bottom of the frame. Harrigan put a single through the left side and moved to second when Rhodes walked Emrick. Koski sent a ground ball to the left side, and Mach tossed to Marlowe at second for the force out, but the relay to first for the double play bounced off Emrick and into the stands, allowing Harrigan to score the tying run.

Another unearned run in the bottom of the seventh put the Salukis on top 4-3. Tim Landy at first, but the toss sailed over Landy's head, allowing Alvarez to score from second.

SIU pushed the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth after Mueller opened the inning by hitting pinch hitter Mark Kelly. Mueller retired the next two hitters but walked Gerrard before turning the mound over to Etienne Ratte-Delorme. The junior right-hander got a ground ball off the bat of Brewer, but an error allowed Kelly to score.

SLU opened the top of the ninth with a single from Crespi, and Marlowe reached on an error to put he tying run on base. SIU reliever Dusty Baker retired Sweeney for the first out. Rodgers looped a single into shallow left field, but Crespi was thrown out at third after having to hold at second to see if the catch would be made. Baker got Landy to ground out to second to collect the save.

The Billikens fall to 20-20 overall with the loss as Mueller fell to 0-1 after throwing 1-2/3 innings of relief. For SIU, Cody Adams improved to 4-2 on the season, while Baker picked up his sixth save.

Saint Louis begins a seven-game road stretch this weekend with an Atlantic 10 Conference series at Charlotte. The first game is slated for 5 p.m. (CT) on Fri., Apr. 28.