May 16, 2010

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Saint Louis suffered a 5-0 defeat at Charlotte Sunday in an Atlantic 10 Conference baseball matchup. The game was called in the eighth when a heavy thunderstorm left the Hayes Stadium field unplayable.

The Billikens move to 26-26 overall and 12-12 A-10. They are still alive for an A-10 Tournament berth and host Dayton (also 12-12 in the league) next weekend at The Billiken Sports Center.

Charlotte (35-13, 18-6 A-10), which clinched the A-10 regular season title today with the win and a Rhode Island loss, scored a pair of runs on four singles in the bottom of the second to stretch out to a 2-0 lead.

SLU starter Bryant Cotton (8-5) settled down after that inning, facing the minimum in each of the next five innings.

Charlotte starter Chad Rothlin was equally as impressive on the hill, not allowing a Billiken hit until Danny Brock led off the seventh with a single. Mike Levine tallied SLU's only other hit of the game, a two-out single to right in the top of the eighth.

With the rain falling in the bottom of the eighth, Charlotte loaded the bases. Mike Perkins was hit by a pitch to drive in a run, and Shane Brown lined one up the middle that deflected off Cotton to knock in two more runs. The game ended at 5-0 shortly thereafter as lighting and heavy rains took over.

The Billikens return to action Tuesday against Southern Illinois. The time and location has changed from the original schedule and will now be played at SIU in Carbondale, Ill, at 3 p.m.