April 1, 2007

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Timely hitting eluded Saint Louis in a 4-3 loss to Xavier this afternoon in Atlantic 10 baseball action at The Billiken Sports Center. While the Musketeers (10-18, 6-0 A-10) capitalized on their scoring opportunities, the Billikens (5-24, 1-5 A-10) were shutout with runners on base, going 0-for-10 on the afternoon. On a gusty day at The BSC, the teams combined for five home runs, which accounted for all three Billiken runs. Junior Ryan Bennett, senior Ryan Crespi and sophomore Tom Pinnell, the top of the SLU lineup, all sent the ball out of the park.

The Musketeers set the tone in the top of the first, as Jordan Wolf doubled to left and Sean Farrell drove him home with a single up the middle after SLU starter Eric Rohr had retired the first two hitters on routine ground balls. Crespi knotted things up in the bottom of the frame with his solo home run over the left field wall. It was the Billikens' first run of the three-game series.

Xavier reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth as Neil Lindgren sent a shot over the wall in left to make it a 2-1 game. Tyler Aholt and Drew Schmidt hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners for Matt Waskerwitz. Rohr got the XU shortstop to hit a ground ball that appeared to be ticketed for an inning-ending double play, but Waskerwitz beat the relay to first, and Aholt scored on the play for a 3-1 margin.

The Billikens looked to make some noise in the bottom of the sixth as Bennett led off with a double down the left field line. Bennett tried to advance on Crespi's fly ball to right, but Lindgren sent a laser to third to complete the double play. XU starter Michael Lucas appeared to be out of the inning when he got Pinnell to pop up a foul ball. Aholt, the XU catcher, could not hold on to it, however, giving Pinnell new life. The Billiken second baseman took advantage and sent the next pitch over the wall in left center, cutting the SLU deficit to 3-2.

SLU got its leadoff man on base again in the bottom of the seventh as Greg Rodgers smacked a single to right. After B.J. Rodrigue sacrificed pinch runner David Blackwell to second, Lucas left him stranded with a pair of ground ball outs. Adam Lipski pushed the Musketeers' lead to 4-2 with a leadoff home run to right. An error and a sacrifice put Lindgren on third with just one out as XU looked to put the game out of reach. SLU reliever Mark Zielinski got Schmidt to ground out to first, where Ryan Johnson made a nice defensive play for the second out. The Billikens brought Ziggy Moore in from the bullpen, and he recorded his first career strikeout to end the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Bennett led off with a home run to again trim the lead to one run. After Lucas recorded the first two outs, an error and a walk put the go-ahead run on base for the Billikens. XU went to Zac Richard out of the bullpen, and he closed out the inning with a fly ball to left.

The Musketeers loaded the bases in the top of the ninth on Adam Pasono's double and a pair of walks, but Lipski grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to keep the game within reach for SLU. Unfortunately, Richrd had other ideas as he retired the Billikens in order in the bottom of the ninth, recording his lone strikeout to end the game.

Lucas improved to 1-4 on the season as he allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits and struck out four in 7-2/3 innings. Richard collected his second save, tossing 1-1/3 innings of hitless relief. Rohr fell to 2-3 for the Billikens, yielding three runs on eight hits in six innings of work.

The Billikens play five of their next six games on the road, beginning at Bradley on Tue., Apr. 3, at 4 p.m.