May 21, 2010
Box Score
ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis junior Cody Cotter singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning to cap a four-run frame and lift the Billikens to a 7-6 win over Dayton Friday in Atlantic 10 Conference baseball action at The Billiken Sports Center.
The win moves the Billikens to 28-27 overall, 14-12 in the A-10, heading into tomorrow's regular-season finale. A win against the Flyers would all but assure the Bills a spot in the six-team A-10 Tournament, which begins next week in Camden, N.J. Dayton (23-31, 12-14) was eliminated from post-season contention with the loss.
The late inning heroics began after SLU gave up three runs in the top of the 10th, giving the Flyers a 6-3 lead at the time. With one out in SLU's half of the inning, Ben Braaten doubled to left, then was brought home on an Andrew Guerra base knock to make it 6-4. Steve Fernandez singled to right center to plate Guerra and make it a one-run ballgame.
That is when things got interesting. Following a pitching change, the Billikens found themselves with runners on the corners and one out. Dayton reliever Mike Hauschild got a potential game-ending double-play ball, but the Flyers shortstop threw high to first on J.D. Dunn to score and tie the game.
Cotter, who was 0-for-5 before the final at-bat, then lined a two-out base hit through the right side to score Levine and give the Billikens the walk-off victory.
Dayton began the scoring with a run in the top of the first, but SLU responded with two in the second on an RBI single by Fernandez and an RBI fielder's choice by Levine.
Danny Brock belted his conference-leading 17th home run in the third, a solo shot to left, to increase the Billiken lead to 3-1.
Dayton scored once in the eighth and ninth innings to tie the game before Jonathan Castine lifted a three-run homer in the top of the 10th to give the Flyers the lead for the time being.
Bryant Cotton had another masterful outing, going 8-2/3 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck out nine and walked three. Andres Wiltz (3-0) was credited with the win after getting the final two outs in the top of the 10th.
