ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis baseball built an early 3-0 lead, but suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 walkoff loss to No. 21 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Redshirt Junior Damian Rivera was tabbed with the loss. The Billikens are now 1-1 overall.

The Bills jumped out to an early lead in the first. Leadoff man Michael Bozarth opened the game with a hit by pitch. He advanced to second on a bunt single from Alec Solé and advanced to third on a throwing error on the play. Bozarth then scored on a sacrifice fly from Braxton Martinez. Cleanup hitter Mike Vigliarolo blasted a two-run shot to left to bring the score to 3-0. It was Saint Louis' first HR of the season.

The Crimson Tide battled back, scoring a pair of runs in the third and equalizing in the fifth. Alabama won the game in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single through the left side. 

Junior James Norwood got the start for Saint Louis, and pitched effectively. He went 5.0 innings with four hits, three walks, four strikeouts and only two earned runs. 

The rubber match between SLU and Alabama will begin tomorrow, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. Saint Louis will send sophomore southpaw Josh Moore to the hilll.