May 26, 2006

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - The Saint Louis offense exploded for a 10-5 win over second-seeded St. Bonaventure to advance to the championship game of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. The Billikens plated eight runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a two-out, bases-loaded, three-run double from Greg Rodgers. After scoring a combined six runs in their first two games, the Billikens scored 10 on 13 hits to collect their school-record 31st win of the season.

The Bonnies had a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings. Josh Perkins recorded the first extra-base hit against Billiken pitching in the tournament with a one-out double in the first, but Rohr battled back to leave him stranded. Matt Mardeusz worked a leadoff walk in the top of the second and found his way to third on a sacrifice and a single before Rohr got Randy Moley to line out to Gilbert Marlowe at second to end the threat. Ziggy Moore started a double play to end the fourth inning after Mardeusz had beaten his throw to first to lead off the inning with a single.

After fending off the Bonnies early in the game, the Billikens exploded offensively in the bottom of the eighth. After managing just one hit through the first three innings, SLU tied its season-high with eight runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth. Ziggy Moore drew a walk to again load the bases. St. Bonaventure starter Cody Vincent induced a pop-up from Jon Guyre for the second out, but Ryan Crespi kept things going with a single lined to left, bringing Landy in from third. Vincent appeared to be out of the inning trailing just 4-0, but an error by the Bonnies' third baseman brought another run home, left the bases loaded and set up Rodgers' three-run double just over the head of the left fielder.

Rohr tore through the Bonnies in order in the top of the fifth, and the Billiken offense went right back to work in the bottom of the frame against SBU reliever Ryan Kerr. The right-hander struggled with his control early, walking the first two batters he faced. A double play seemed to help the Bonnies, but the Billikens put together a two-out rally to add to their lead. Guyre, Crespi and Sweeney put together consecutive singles, pushing the lead to 10-0. Rodgers drew a walk to load the bases, but Kerr closed the inning with a strikeout.

The Bonnies struck back with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. A-10 Player of the Year Brian Pelligrini opened with a double off the wall in left center. Joe Rizzo stepped up and sent a shot to the same spot but just deeper for a two-run home run. Mardeusz added a one-out double to left before Rohr closed out the inning still leading 10-2. St. Bonaventure continued its power hitting in the top of the seventh. After back-to-back one-out singles from Randy Moley and Josh Perkins, Pelligrini crushed his 13th home run of the season to deep left center, narrowing the gap to 10-5. Rizzo poked a single through the right side, and Kevin Suminski reached on an error on a sacrifice. The Billikens went to the bull pen for Etienne Ratte-Delorme, who walked Mardeusz to load the bases with still just one out. A pair of ground balls held the Bonnies to just the three runs and kept the Bills up 10-5.

After Ratte-Delorme retired the Bonnies in order in the top of the eighth, Eric Mueller took the mound for SLU in the ninth. The junior right-hander sandwiched a walk in between three strikeouts, all on called strike three.

Rohr improved to 5-2 with the win, despite yielding five runs on 12 hits in 6-1/3 innings of work. Vincent took the loss as he gave up eight runs, four earned, on seven hits in four innings. Rodgers drove in three runs on a perfect 3-for-3 day, while Crespi matched his three hits for team-high honors.

Saint Louis will play in the championship game at noon on Sat., May 27, although the opponent is yet to be determined. It will be whoever advances out of the loser's bracket, which still holds George Washington, Rhode Island and St. Bonaventure. The winner of the Atlantic 10 Tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.