April 5, 2008
Box Score
ST. LOUIS - Junior right-hander Dave Sever pitched a complete game, and sophomore second baseman Andrew Guerra had a career-high three hits with a pair of RBIs as Saint Louis upended La Salle 4-1 this afternoon in an Atlantic 10 Conference baseball game at The Billiken Sports Center. The win moves the Billikens to the .500 mark at 13-13 overall and 4-4 in the A-10.
Sever (2-4) scattered 10 hits in allowing just the one run in his first complete game of the year. He was one strikeout shy of tying his career high of nine Ks and he walked just one. With the loss, La Salle dips to 4-25 and 0-8 in the league.
After Sever got a double-play ball to get out a jam in the first, SLU's offense went to work and plated a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Ramee Yacoub drew a lead-off walk, then advanced to second on Greg Rodgers' groundout. Tom Pinnell then ripped a ball down the line that sneaked just inside the third-base bag for an RBI double to put the Billikens up 1-0.
The Billikens were fortunate to plate a second run in the inning. Mike Beal lifted a high fly ball to left that the Explorers' left-fielder lost in the sun. The ball fell to plate Pinnell and give Beal an RBI double.
After Sever struck out the side in the second, La Salle put together a two-out rally to plate its lone run in the top of the third. John Malloy singled to right center, then advanced to third on Justin Handler's single down the right-field line. John Rickards drove in Malloy with a double down the right-field line to cut the Explorers deficit to 2-1.
Saint Louis got that run back and then some in the bottom of the third. J.D. Dunn walked, then stole his team-leading 18th base of the season to advance to second. Guerra then lifted his second home run of the year, a two-out bomb that cleared the right-fence fence, to put SLU up 4-1 through three innings.
La Salle managed to get two base runners on in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but Sever got out off all those innings with a strikeout to keep the Explorers off the board. In the eighth inning, he snagged a liner off the bat of Rick Gehman that resulted in a double play, and he retired the Explorers in order in the ninth to preserve the win.
Guerra was a triple away from the cycle en route to his career-high three hits. Pinnell also had a pair of hits for SLU. Dunn's stolen base in the third kept alive his streak of having at least one stolen base in seven straight games.
The Billikens go for the series sweep tomorrow at The BSC. First pitch is slated for noon. Due to the St. Louis Marathon, Forest Park Parkway will be closed. Therefore, the easiest way in and out of campus is via Grand Ave.
