PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Saint Louis opened its 2024 baseball campaign with two victories on Friday, beginning opening day with a 21-10 win over St. Thomas (Minn.) and capping it with a 13-8 triumph over Illinois State.

SLU (2-0), the Atlantic 10 Conference' preseason favorite, is playing at a neutral site this weekend in Port Charlotte, Fla. The schedule has been adjusted due to impending weather. The plan currently is for the Bills to play St. Thomas again on Saturday in a 1:30 p.m. (CT) first pitch, then face Illinois State on Sunday for a 2 p.m. (CT) start. Stay tuned to the Billikens' social media channels for updates.

The Billikens' 34 runs over the first two games are the most they have scored in a two-game stretch to open the season since 1992. Also, SLU won its first two games of the season for the first time since 2017.

Hayden Moore and Austin Neuweg hit .571 (4-of-7) over the two games to lead the Bills. Moore added two homers and five RBIs. Patrick Clohisy matched Moore for the team lead with five RBIs. Tyler Fogarty, Graham Mastros and Cole Smith also had four hits in the two games.

GAME ONE

Moore got it started for the Billikens with a leadoff homer, a sign of things to come. The Billikens jumped all over the Tommies, scoring seven runs in the first and taking a 16-2 lead after three.

The Bills scored in every inning except the fourth and won it in seven innings due to the 10-run rule.
Moore finished with four RBIs. Smith and Fogarty had three hits apiece.

Jackson Holmes earned the win on the mound after going 3.2 innings.

GAME TWO

Clohisy went 2-for-4 with four RBIs as the Billikens rallied after being down 7-3 through two-and-a-half innings of play.

Neuweg went 2-for-4, including a three-run bomb in the third, and scored three times. Moore scored three times and had two hits. Sitzman and Mastros had two-hits apiece as well.

All Billikens in the starting lineup had at least one hit.

Relievers Jack Weber and Evan Gray shined out of the bullpen. Weber earned the win after tossing four innings and allowing one earned run while striking out five. Gray picked up the save with 2.1 innings of shutout ball.