Feb. 27, 2008

Box Score

JUPITER, Fla. - Saint Louis University fell to the St. Louis Cardinals 15-2 today at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. The teams were tied 2-2 after two innings of play, but a 10-run fourth for Cardinals sealed the Billikens' fate. The game was called at the seventh-inning stretch by mutual consent between managers.

"I want to again express my appreciation to the entire St. Louis Cardinals organization for this opportunity," SLU head coach Darin Hendrickson said. "I'm not taking any stock in the box score, this was just opportunity for our young pitchers to face the quality of hitters here."

Nerves were not a factor for the Billikens. In the top of the first, Andrew Guerra walked. J.D. Dunn reached on a single, and both players advanced on a deep fly by Greg Rodgers. Then, Tom Pinnell hit a high chopper that bounced over the third baseman's head for the first run of the game.

After the Cardinals took a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the first, the Billikens responded with another run in the top of the second. Leadoff hitter David Blackwell was hit by a pitch, then advanced to second a base hit by Brandon Parsons. Senior Casey Moore then drove home Blackwell on a ground-rule double to left center.

Everyone was able to get into the game for the Billikens, with the exception of their top three starting pitchers, who just threw on the side in advance of SLU's upcoming three-game series at Samford.