MURFREESBORO, TENN. - Despite drawing 11 walks and gathering nine hits, Saint Louis lost to Middle Tennessee, 3-2 in 11 innings. However, the Billikens managed to defeat Bowling Green in their second game, 6-1.
In the first game, the Bills were down early with the Blue Raiders scoring in the bottom of the first. However, a great game from junior RHP Alex Alemann (6.1 IP, three hits, one earned run, three strikeouts, one walk) kept SLU in the game. The Billikens tied in up in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from freshman shortstop Alec Solé to score junior third baseman Grant Nelson.
Saint Louis scored again in the eighth. Solé delivered a double down the left field line, knocking in senior catcher Connor Gandossy from second to bring the score to 2-1 in favor of the Bills. However, Middle Tennesse answered right away, scoring in the bottom half of the inning.
The game went into extra innings, with the Blue Raiders ultimately delivering the knockout punch on a two-out single in the bottom of the 11th. Senior Steve Jensen picks up the loss after going 1.2 IP with three hits, one earned run and three strikeouts.
In the second contest, SLU scored early and often against a young Bowling Green squad. In the first innning, the first two Billikens to the plate got on base. Jordan Hammerman drew a walk and Mike Levine was hit by a pitch. A passed ball advanced both runners. Nelson drove them in with a single through the left side.
The Falcons scored their first run in the top of the second, their only run on the day. The Bills retaliated with a two-out single from junior DH Steve Fernandez in the bottom half, driving in Nelson. This brought the score to 3-1 in favor of Saint Louis.
Levine tacked on another run on a single through the left side that scored freshman Jon Corbitt. Corbitt scored again in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Hammerman. Fernandez scored SLU's final run on a single up the middle from Corbitt in the seventh.
Senior Jerry Mancuso picks up the win, going 3.2 IP, with three hits, two strikeouts, no walks and no runs allowed. Freshman James Norwood also threw well, with 4.0 IP, three hits, two strikeouts, one walk and one unearned run.
The Billikens return to action tomorrow, Feb. 19 in Nashville, Tenn., where they take on Belmont.
