April 7, 2007

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Senior right-hander Eric Rohr tossed his second complete-game shutout of the season, and the Saint Louis offense exploded for 15 hits in an 11-0 victory at La Salle (10-15, 3-5 A-10) in the first game of an Atlantic 10 baseball doubleheader this afternoon at Ambler Field. In SLU's first road win of the season, Rohr pitched a gem, allowing just five hits, all singles, over nine innings. Junior Greg Rodgers tied his career high with four RBI, including a solo home run to put the Billikens (6-26, 2-6 A-10) on top in the second inning.

After the Billikens took the initial lead on Rodgers' home run, the Explorers put two runners on in the bottom of the second with a pair of two-out singles. Rohr got out of the jam with a ground ball from John Malloy. The Billiken hurler saw two more runners get on in the bottom of the third with a hit batter and an error, but a ground ball preserved the shutout.

The offense provided Rohr some insurance in the top of the fifth when Bill Musselman reached on an error to lead off the inning. B.J. Rodrigue slipped a single through the left side to send Musselman to second, and Ziggy Moore advanced them both with a sacrifice bunt. Freshman J.D. Dunn plated Musselman with a sacrifice fly to right, and Rodrigue scored on the play as well.

Rohr retired the Explorers in order in the middle three innings to set up the five-run seventh for SLU's offense. Musselman led off with a single up the middle and moved to third on Rodrigue's single through the right side. Moore picked up the RBI on a fielder's choice that retired Rodrigue at second. Dunn added a single to put two on and sent the Explorers to the bullpen for Jamie Cowan. A fly ball provided the second out of the inning but also advanced both runners into scoring position. Cowan hit Ryan Crespi with a pitch to load the bases, and Casey Moore made him pay with a bases-clearing double to left center, giving the Bills a 7-0 lead. Rodgers rounded out the inning's scoring with an RBI single to right.

An error got the Billikens on track in the top of the ninth when Crespi's ground ball to short was mishandled. Casey Moore added a single off reliever Brian Kern to send Crespi to third, and Rodgers ripped a double to right center to plate both runners. Blake Bratcher added a single to center to put runners on the corners with just one out when Kern got a double-play ball to end the inning, but not before Rodgers crossed the plate with the Billikens' 11th run of the day. The Explorers opened the bottom of the frame with a Matt Burns single to center, which Rohr escaped with a double play off the bat of George Papuchis. A fly ball closed out Rohr's second complete-game shutout of the season.

The win put Rohr at .500 on the season at 3-3 as he struck out two and did not issue a walk over nine innings. La Salle starter Kenny Elkind fell to 1-3 after yielding six runs, four earned, on seven hits in 6-1/3 innings of work. Rodgers' four RBI led all hitters, while Casey Moore added three. Rodgers and Rodrigue tied for game-high honors with three hits apiece.