April 9, 2008
Box Score
ST. LOUIS - Freshman right-hander George Hebert scattered three hits over six innings as Saint Louis upended the Bradley Braves 3-2 today in a non-conference baseball game at The Billiken Sports Center. J.D. Dunn delivered a pair of RBIs, and Ryan Bennett had two hits and scored twice to lift the Billikens to their seventh win in nine tries on their home diamond.
The victory improves the Billikens 14-15 overall, while Bradley dips to 13-15. Hebert, who was making his first career start, picked up the win after yielding one run on the three hits. He was relieved in the seventh by Ziggy Moore, who pitched two innings of one-run ball before giving way to Brad Perkins in the ninth. He retired the Braves in order to pick up his second save.
SLU let a bases-loaded situation slip away in the first, but it took advantage of its opportunities in the second. Brandon Parsons drew a walk, then advanced to third on the first of Bennett's two base hits. Dunn then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Parsons and put the Billikens up 1-0.
Ramee Yacoub continued the inning when he walked, allowing Tom Pinnell to hit with two out and runners on first and second. He lined a Chris Wright pitch to the left-center field gap to plate Bennett and increase the Billikens' lead to 2-0.
The only blemish on Hebert's line occurred in the third inning, when Grant Eskue lifted a solo home run over the right-field fence to trim SLU's lead to 2-1 through three innings.
However, SLU answered in its half of the fourth and plated their final run of the game. Bennett started the frame with a double - a ball that nearly left the park - then came around to score when Dunn poked a single through the right side.
Meanwhile, Hebert was poised on the mound for Saint Louis. He was especially tough in the fifth and sixth innings, when he faced the minimum in both innings to preserve the Billiken lead.
Moore came on in the seventh and retired the side. The Braves inched a run closer to the lead in the eighth when Colby Luttrell plated Escue on an RBI groundout. But Perkins retired Bradley in order in the ninth to pick up the save and deliver the 3-2 victory for Saint Louis.
Dunn ended up 1-for-3 with two RBIs, while Yacoub and Pinnell each contributed a hit. Ryan Johnson had a base hit in his second straight game, and Bennett was solid at shortstop in addition to his two hits.
The Billikens resume Atlantic 10 Conference play this weekend when they travel to Rhode Island to face the Rams in a three-game series. The set begins on Friday with the first pitch slated for 2 p.m. (CT).
