May 12, 2010

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SAUGET, Ill. - Saint Louis freshman shortstop Mike Levine came up with two big RBI singles, one in the eighth and one in the 10th, as the Billikens upended SIU Edwardsville 6-5 Wednesday at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Ill. The Billikens improve to 26-23 overall, while SIUE dips to 14-35. SLU returns to action Friday when it travels to Charlotte for a key three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series. Game one is slated for 5 p.m. (CT).

On Wednesday, SLU rallied from deficits of 4-0 and 5-3 to post its second win against the Cougars in three tries this season.

Levine ended up 3-for-5 with two RBIs, while Andrew Guerra went 2-for-3 with an RBI and the winning run. Danny Brock drove in two runs to pull to within one of tying the single-season RBI mark.

Down 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth, the Billikens went to work after Ben Braaten both singled. Both ended up in scoring position, and Guerra help pull the Billikens within one with a sacrifice fly to plate Myers.

Pinch-hitter Jerry Mancuso would reach after getting hit by a pitch, and he quickly stole second to again give SLU two runners in scoring position. Levine would register his first big single, a lined shot up the middle, to score Braaten to knot the game. Mancuso was thrown out at the plate on the play to send the game into the ninth all tied at 5-5.

That remained the score until the bottom of the 10th, where the Bills did their damage with two outs. Guerra stroked a two-out double, and Mancuso was intentionally walked. Up came Levine, who again came through with a clutch two-out hit, this time a single through the left side to score Guerra to give the Bills a 6-5 victory.

The Billikens used six pitchers on the night, with Andrew Buckham getting the win after pitching a scoreless top of the 10th. Jon Levin and starter Andres Wiltz also pitched scoreless frames for SLU. Jason Bell twirled a solid four innings, allowing three runs (all unearned) on four hits.

SIUE plated a run in the top of the second and pushed across three in the top of the sixth before the Billikens cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth. Danny Brock cleared the bases with a double to left center, making it a 4-2 game at the time.

Brock would later steal second, and ended up scoring on the play as the catcher's throw ended up in left field, pulling the Billikens to within one at 4-3.

The Cougars scored one more time in the top of the eighth to make it 5-3, setting up the Billikens' late-inning heroics.