April 18, 2007

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - In a game in which each team rose to the challenge of the other, a three-run home run from Eastern Illinois' Ryan Meyer downed Saint Louis 8-6 in the 10th inning. The Billikens (8-29) battled back from a late deficit with a run in the bottom of the eighth, then had the tying runs on in the bottom of the 10th but could not close the comeback. Senior Bill Musselman led the offense with three hits, while senior Gilbert Marlowe and freshman David Blackwell each drove in two runs for the Billikens.

Facing EIU starter Tyler Brandon, the Saint Louis offense got on track in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman J.D. Dunn led off with a single to right, stole second and scored on Casey Moore's single to center. B.J. Rodrigue kept things going with a two-out single to center, sending Moore to second. Marlowe drove a double to left center for a 2-0 lead. Blackwell made it a 4-0 game with a single just past the Panthers' first baseman for the first hit and RBIs of his career. The Panthers went to the bullpen for Alex Guttosch, who ended the inning with a ground out.

The Panthers answered in the top of the sixth after SLU starter Brock Hewitt issued a leadoff walk to Adam Varrassi and saw Jorden Kreke drive a double to right field. Mark Chagnon plated Casey Spears from third with a one-out single to left, and Ryan Campbell cut the Billiken lead to 4-3 on a two-run triple to left center. Kory Peppenhorst tied things up with a sacrifice fly to center before Hewitt got out of the inning.

The Billikens went down in order in the bottom of the frame against left-handed reliever Tyler Kehrer. The Billikens went to the bullpen in the seventh only to see Dan Cowsert issue a leadoff walk to pinch hitter Ryan Meyer. A sacrifice bunt moved Meyer to second, and Varrassi slipped a single through the right side to put the go-ahead run on third with one out. Spears picked up the RBI with a sacrifice fly to left. Cowsert yielded a single to Kreke but ended the inning with a ground out.

SLU responded in the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back singles from Moore and Musselman, which sent Kehrer to the dugout for Richie Derbak. The right-hander who had been playing first base hit Rodrigue to load the bases. Derbak got the first of his three strikeouts for the first out and got a pop-up for out number two. The Billikens sent pinch hitter Ryan Johnson to the plate, and the sophomore worked the count full before Derbak hit him with a pitch to plate the tying run.

The Panthers had two runners on in the top of the ninth but could not score on left-handed reliever Mark Zielinski. In the bottom of the inning, Greg Rodgers tried to start a rally with a one-out single to right center, but a strikeout and caught stealing double play sent the game to the extra frame.

Eric Brewer replaced Zielinski on the mound, and saw Campbell rip a double down the right field line to open the 10th. Like the Panthers two innings earlier, the Billikens brought Rodrigue to the mound from first base. EIU sacrificed Campbell to third, and the Billikens intentionally walked pinch hitter Erik Huber to set up a double play opportunity. Meyer did not give SLU the opportunity, however, as he sent a shot off the foul pole in right field for an 8-5 lead.

The Billikens would not go quietly, however, as Musselman led off the 10th with a single down the left field line and Rodrigue followed with a single through the left side. Eastern Illinois went to the bullpen for their fifth pitcher of the afternoon, Scott Foley. Marlowe kept things going with a single through the right side to cut the EIU lead to 8-6. Ryan Bennett sacrificed Rodrigue and Marlowe to third and second, respectively. Foley worked out of the jam with a strikeout and an infield pop up to collect his first save of the season.

Derbak collected the win to improve to 3-2 on the season, while Brewer fell to 0-4 for the Billikens. Meyers' three RBI led all hitters, while Moore, Rodrigue and Marlowe each posted two hits for SLU.

The Billikens begin a seven-game road swing this weekend at Fordham. The first game of the three-game Atlantic 10 series begins at 3 p.m. (CT) on Fri., April 20.