Box Score SAINT LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] Saint Louis kept it close, but a late home run in the bottom of the eighth became the winning run. Kyle Bergeron hit a lead-off home run in the bottom of the eighth and Incarnate Word grabbed a 3-2 win on Sunday in San Antonio, Texas.
Saint Louis (1-7) put together a solid effort after allowing an early run. Starting pitcher Connor Lehmann ran into trouble after one inning, which led to a big performance by Charlie Sheehan. The sophomore went four innings and allowed just one run as he kept the Billikens in it the entire way.
Down 1-0 in the fourth, the Billikens answered. Aaron Case doubled down the left field line to lead-off the inning. After a pair of hit batsmen, James Morisano came to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs.
With the Billiken cleanup hitter at the plate, the Cardinals went to the bullpen and called on Tyler Perez to get the home team out of the jam. Perez allowed a sacrifice fly to Morisano, which tied the game at one, but kept Saint Louis off the board for the remainder of the inning.
A walk and a single started the bottom of the sixth for the Cardinals and put runners on the corners with no outs. Ryan Lefner came into the game in relief of Sheehan and struck-out the first batter he saw, but a wild pitch allowed Kyle Bergeron to score and gave Incarnate Word a one run lead once again.
The Billikens responded in the top of the seventh as Jake Garella hit a one-out single to center field. The Saint Louis right fielder advanced to second on a passed ball before Carter Hanford tied the game.
Hanford dropped a 1-1 pitch into center field and tied the game at two. The hit for Hanford was the second of three hits in the top of the seventh for the Billikens.
The bottom of the eighth, however, became critical in the result on Sunday. Bergeron drove the second pitch he saw over the wall in left field and plated what became the game winning run.
The Billikens threatened in the top of the ninth as Garella doubled and advanced to third on a fly ball, but that was as far as it got. Hanford grounded-out to third to end the game as the Billikens came-up just short of salvaging the weekend.
Garella quickly erased the memory of an 0-4 day at the plate on Saturday as he went 2-4 on Sunday. The sophomore continued a big season and is now hitting .344, which leads all Billikens.
Saint Louis will travel back to the gateway city and will host Chicago State in Friday's home opener. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Billiken Sports Center.
