June 3, 2006

Box Score

FULLERTON, Calif. - In what started out as a blow out but became a nail-biter, Saint Louis dropped a 19-12 decision to San Diego in the first elimination game of the NCAA Tournament Fullerton regional at Goodwin Field. The Billikens (32-29) fell behind 10-0 through four innings before exploding for eight runs in the fifth, the team's season-high for the season. After tying the game 12-12 with four runs in the top of the eighth, SLU saw the Toreros (33-24) score seven in the bottom of the inning due to five walks and an error. Offensively, Ryan Crespi led the Bills with four hits, including a double, while Matt Mach was the leading RBI man with three.

USD starter Brian Matusz struggled early but did not let the Billikens capitalize on a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the top of the first. The Toreros took advantage of the Billikens' missed opportunity with a run in the bottom of the inning. Josh Romanski drew a one-out walk and, after Guyre tracked down a long fly ball to center off the bat of Steve Singleton, moved to second on a wild pitch. The advance proved crucial two pitches later when Jordan Abruzzo slapped a single to right field for a 1-0 lead.

The Toreros tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the second on a suicide squeeze and three home runs. A leadoff double from Daniel Magness opened the inning, and he moved to third on a one-out single from Shane Buschini. Kevin Hansen made it a 2-0 lead when he laid down a perfect bunt on the suicide squeeze. Justin Snyder sent one over the wall in right for a 4-0 lead, and Rohr saw Romanski follow with a solo shot just to the left of Snyder's. After Rohr walked Singleton, the Billikens went to freshman Dave Sever, who saw Abruzzo rip a towering shot over the netting into the trees beyond the right field wall to five the Toreros a 7-0 lead.

The bottom of the third opened with three hits and a walk as USD scored two more runs in the inning. Hansen's bases-loaded single to right pushed the lead to 8-0, and Snyder sent a sac fly to left for a 9-0 margin. The Billikens loaded the bases in the top of the fourth on a single and two walks, but Matusz added three more strikeouts to lead all three stranded. Abruzzo led off the fourth with his second home run of the game, putting USD out front 10-0.

The offense got going in the fifth inning, matching the season-high of eight runs in an inning. After Matusz struck out the leadoff man in the inning, Crespi and Sweeney hit back-to-back singles to set the table for Rodgers. The Billiken DH ripped a double to left, plating both runners. Matusz got Musselman to foul out then issued walks to Matt Mach put a single in right field to score Rodrigue, and Guyre redeemed his leadoff strikeout with a double to the left field wall to bring two more runs. The Toreros went to the bullpen for Scott DeNault to end the threat, but Crespi pulled SLU within two runs with a single dropping just in front of Snyder in center field before USD got out of the inning.

Abruzzo pushed the lead back to 11-8 with a leadoff home run to right field. The lead extended to 12-8 as the Toreros put up three singles against SLU reliever Brock Hewitt, including Singleton's RBI single to right. The Billikens tied the game in the eighth on three hits, two walks and a hit batter. Crespi led off with a double to the base of the right field wall and scored on Sweeney's single up the middle. A hit batter and a pair of walks made it a 10-12 game and kept the bases loaded. Romanski, who has come in from left field to the mound in the top of the inning, struck out Moore of the second out, but Mach sent a single up the middle to plate both Rodgers, who had been hit by a pitch, and Landy, who had drawn the first walk, tying the game at 12-12 before Romanski got Guyre to ground out to third to end the inning.

The Toreros reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame as Eric Mueller struggled with control, issuing five walks in the inning. USD took advantage of the misfortune, plating seven runs on just one hit, a bases clearing double by Abruzzo.

Despite the setback, the Billikens had a record-breaking season with 32 wins, topping the previous program high of 30 set in 1977, and made their first NCAA appearance since 1966.