May 1, 2010
Box Score |
Photo Gallery 
ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis redshirt freshman Steve Fernandez's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Billikens to a 5-4 victory over St. Bonaventure Saturday in the second game of a crucial Atlantic 10 Conference baseball series. It was the second straight game the Bills prevailed in their final at-bat.
Saint Louis improves to 23-21 overall and 10-7 in the A-10. The Billikens will look to secure the sweep against St. Bonaventure (13-24, 5-12 A-10) in Sunday's series finale. First pitch is slated for noon.
With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth, the Billiken bats quickly went to work. J.D. Dunn and Danny Brock reached on singles. Later, with one out, the Bonnies intentionally walked Zach Miller to load the bases for Fernandez. Down to two strikes, Fernandez smacked a Jamie Wallschlaeger (1-1) pitch between third and short to plate Dunn for the game winner, giving the Bills their second thrilling walk-off victory in as many days.
Redshirt freshman Alex Alemann picked up his sixth victory of the year after pitching all nine innings and allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits. He struck out three and walked three.
Fernandez and Miller each registered two RBIs, while Dunn, Brock and Fernandez had two hits apiece. Everyone in the starting lineup either recorded a hit or scored in the game.
Both teams got on the board early. In the top of the first, St. Bonaventure put up a three spot before SLU answered with a pair of runs in the bottom-half of the frame. Cody Cotter was hit by a pitch, and Dunn walked to put two runners on. Both came around to score on a Miller two-out, two-run double to left center to make it 3-2 St. Bonaventure after one.
That remained the score all the way until the bottom of the sixth, when Fernandez blasted his fifth home run of the season to left center to tie the score at 3-3.
After SBU regained the lead in the top of the seventh, Brock tied the score with a towering solo homer to left. It was Brock's league-leading 16th home run of the season, which moves him just three shy of the school record of 19. In addition, he recorded his 60th RBI, which is seven shy of the school mark.
