April 29, 2008
Box Score
ST. LOUIS - Andrew Guerra went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer, and Chaz Salembier hurled five innings of three-hit ball as Saint Louis topped Harris-Stowe 12-1 in seven innings at The Billiken Sports Center on Tuesday night. Tom Pinnell had a pair of hits and tied his career high with four RBIs.
The victory pushes the Billikens record to 20-23. SLU head coach Darin Hendrickson tied Joe Gegg's mark for the most wins by a first-year head coach in SLU baseball history. Gegg led the 1970 squad to a 20-11 mark in his first season at the helm.
SLU leaped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first and chased the Harris-Stowe (19-31) starter from the game with a three-run, four-hit frame. Andrew Guerra poked a single to put two runners on. J.D. Dunn drove in the first run of the contest when he ripped a double to the left-center field gap to plate Bennett. Pinnell then closed out a strong at bat with a base hit to center to score two runs and complete the three-run first.
The Billikens pushed across another run in the second. David Blackwell led off with a single up the middle. With two outs, Dunn lifted a ball to right field that the Hornets' Bino Thompson made a valiant effort on, but the it fell for an RBI triple to give the Billikens a 4-0 advantage through two.
After a scoreless third, the Billikens plated five runs in the fourth. Blackwell doubled to left, and advanced to third on a Bennett single. Guerra then cleaned the bases with his third homer of the season, a blast that easily cleared the left-center field fence.
Later in the inning, the Billikens plated two more runs with a two-out rally. Greg Rodgers doubled to the gap, then was pinch-ran for by Ryan Johnson. Pinnell then drove in Johnson with a single through the right side. Pinnell scored when the next batter, Mike Beal, poked a base hit to right to put the Billikens up 9-0.
Salembier ran into trouble in the fifth when Matt Sauve led off with a single. He was replaced on first by Tony Allen, who later advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Allen stole third, Mike Luczak drove a pitch to the wall in right center for the RBI double.
SLU scored three times in the sixth. Guerra singled through the left side, and Dunn walked. Johnson, who stayed in the game to play first base, drove in Guerra with a double to left to put the Billikens up 10-1. SLU scored two more times in the frame on sacrifice flies off the bats of Pinnell and Beal.
Overall, Salembier went five innings and allowed just one run on three hits. He struck out four batters and walked none. Reliever Mark Zielinski came on in relief in the sixth and pitched two innings of no-hit ball while striking out a pair.
In addition to his three hits, Guerra scored three runs and drove in three as well. Dunn ended up 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
The Billikens are back in action tomorrow when they travel to face Illinois State. Game time is set for 2 p.m.
