March 30, 2007

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis fell to Xavier 11-0 in Atlantic 10 baseball action tonight at The Billiken Sports Center as the Musketeers out-hit the Billikens 11-2 and capitalized on three errors and 14 walks. While SLU struggled to get the offense going, Xavier plated five runs in the top of the second then chipped away at the Billiken bullpen for six more late in the contest. Senior Bill Musselman and Ryan Bennett recorded the only hits for the Billikens.

After SLU starter Dave Sever worked around a first-inning walk, he saw the Musketeers open the second with back-to-back singles. A sacrifice put both runners in scoring position, and Drew Schmidt plated the first run with an RBI single through the left side. Matt Waskerwitz made it a 2-0 lead with a single through the right side. A ground ball gave Sever the second out, but a walk loaded the bases for XU's leading hitter, Jordan Wolf. The catcher drove a triple to left center for a 5-0 lead before Sever got out of the inning.

The Billikens looked to answer in the bottom of the inning as Musselman hit a single to left center and Greg Rodgers drew a walk. XU starter Bill Konecny retired the bottom of the Billiken order to leave both runners stranded.

Sever cruised through the next three innings and retired the first two hitters of the sixth inning on called strike three. Adam Pasono drew a walk and stole second to get in scoring position for Steve Brown's RBI single to left. SLU reliver Dan Cowsert forced the Musketeers to leave the bases loaded in the top of the seventh but struggled in the eighth as two hits, two walks and a hit batter plated two more runs for the Musketeers.

Pasono led off the ninth with a double to right center off Justin Wise and moved to third on Jordan Wolf's double just over the head of David Blackwell in right field. Wise uncorked a wild pitch to score Pasono, walked the next two hitters to load the bases and saw another run score on a wild pitch. The Billikens went the bullpen once more, calling on Eric Brewer to wrap up the inning. After walking Zac Richard, Brewer also threw a wild pitch to plate Sean Farrell with the final run of the game.

Konecny improved to 1-3 with the win as he struck out six and allowed just two hits in the complete-game shutout. Severn took the loss for SLU, falling to 1-4 on the season. The sophomore struck out five but walked six and allowed six runs over six innings of work. Wolf drove in a game-high three runs on two doubles and a triple. Adam Lipski and Richard also had multiple-hit games for the Musketeers.

The two teams face off again on Sat., March 31, at 1 p.m. at The Billiken Sports Center. SLU senior Ryan Bird and XU sophomore Charlie Leesman are the scheduled starting pitchers.