May 9, 2010

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Saint Louis posted a 10-2 win at La Salle Sunday afternoon, securing the series win for the Billikens in what was a key Atlantic 10 Conference baseball weekend.

Saint Louis (25-23, 12-9 A-10) remains in the hunt for one of six A-10 Tournament spots. Next weekend, SLU heads to first-place Charlotte for three games. The Bills close the regular season at home in a three-game set against 10th-place Dayton.

On Sunday, senior right-hander Bryant Cotton earned his eighth win of the season. He is just one victory shy of the single-season record held by Rich Hansmann (1967) and John Marcum (1965). Cotton tossed seven innings, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out five and walked none.

Offensively, the Billikens enjoyed strong days at the plate by the top five in the order. J.D. Dunn, Danny Brock, Ben Braaten accounted for all nine of SLU's hits. Myers was a home run short of the cycle, leading the way the three hits and three RBIs. Dunn and Brock posted two hits apiece, while Braaten drove in two runs.

SLU gave Cotton plenty of run support early, pushing across two runs in both the first and third innings. In the first, Dunn drew a one-out walk, and advanced to third on a single by Brock. Myers drove in Dunn with a double to right, which pushed Brock to third. Braaten lifted a sacrifice fly to score Brock, quickly making it 2-0 Billikens.

In the third, Dunn again started the rally after posting a one-out single. Brock also singled, and the pair each advanced on a double steal to put them both in scoring position. Myers knocked them both in with a single to left to open the Bills to a 4-0 lead. SLU plated another run in the fourth when Brock drew a bases-loaded walk, giving SLU a 5-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, Cotton breezed through the La Salle (16-28, 10-11 A-10) lineup the first time around, retiring the first 10 batters he faced. La Salle posted its first hit and run in the fourth, but SLU responded by scoring three runs in the fifth.

Jerry Mancuso drew a one-out walk in the fifth, and would end up scoring on a throwing error by the La Salle catcher to make it 6-1. Mike Levine later drew a two-out walk and also scored on an error by the catcher. A Dunn RBI single plated Cotter to give the Billikens an 8-1 advantage.

Myers tripled to lead off the sixth, and trotted home on a Braaten base hit to give SLU a 9-1 lead.

Following a scoreless seventh inning for both clubs, each plated a run in the eighth. For the Billikens, Lucas Calderon plated Myers on a fielder's choice to put SLU up 10-1.

Relievers Andrew Buckham and Tommy Coovert held La Salle in check down the stretch, helping the Billikens secure the 10-2 victory.

The Billikens will battle SIU Edwardsville this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Ill.