April 2, 2010
Box Score
CAMDEN, N.J. - Despite a late rally punctuated by a three-run homer by SLU first baseman Danny Brock in the eighth inning, Saint Louis dropped a 9-8 decision at Saint Joseph's Friday in the rubber match of a three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series at Campbell's Field.
The setback dips the Billikens to 15-14 overall and 3-3 in the A-10. Saint Joseph's improves to 8-13 and 4-2 in league play.
SLU fell behind 6-0 after two innings and 9-3 after four, but rallied to score five runs in the seventh and eighth innings to make it a one-run ballgame late. SJU, however, retired the Billikens in order in the top of the ninth to secure the series win.
Brock registered four hits for the first time in his career. His previous career best was three hits, accomplished eight times. In addition, Brock tied his career high with five RBIs, matching his total achieved earlier this season against Kansas earlier this season.
SJU jumped out to a 6-0 lead through two innings before SLU cracked the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the third. With two outs, freshman shortstop J.D. Dunn reached on an error, allowing Levine to score, and Brock knocked in Cotter with an RBI single to make it 6-2.
St. Joe's scored in the bottom of the third, but SLU pushed across a run in the top of the fourth. Sophomore designated hitter Andrew Guerra's sacrifice fly.
However, SJU scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and led 9-3 before SLU mounted its late comeback.
The Billikens started to chip away at the deficit in the seventh. Cotter began the inning with a walk, and Dunn followed with a single to left. Brock drove in Cotter with another RBI base knock, and later in the inning sophomore catcher Connor Gandossy plated Dunn with a single up the middle to make it 9-5.
Meanwhile, SLU left-handed reliever Andrew Buckham was breezing through the SJU order. He sat down the Hawks in order in the fifth and sixth innings and worked around a single and walk in the seventh to keep it a 9-5 game.
In the eighth, sophomore second baseman Lucas Calderon reached on an error and Cotter was hit by a pitch. Brock then plated them both with this team- and league-leading 11th home run of the year to make it 9-8 St. Joe's. That is as close as the Bills would get, however, and the Hawks would go on to claim the series win.
Buckham was strong in relief, allowing just one single in four innings of work. He struck out a career-high seven and walked just one. Jerry Mancuso took the loss after yielding six runs (four earned) in 1-2/3 innings.
SLU returns to action next Wednesday against nationally ranked Arkansas in Fayetteville. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.
