May 10, 2003

Final Stats

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University got a two-out single from senior Derek Muncy (The Woodlands, Texas/Oak Ridge) in the bottom of the ninth to claim a 6-5 victory over Cincinnati in Conference USA baseball action this afternoon at The Billiken Sports Center. Sophomore reliever Kurt Struckhoff (Glencoe, Mo./Lafayette) picked up the win, but it was senior starter Ben Hutton (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) who left the game in the eighth with a two-run lead that turned in a masterful pitching performance to keep SLU (17-28, 5-21 C-USA) in the early lead.

Although the Billiken led throughout the game, the ninth-inning rally was needed after the Bearcats scored a pair of runs in the top of the eighth when, after throwing more than 130 pitches in seven innings, Hutton yielded to Struckhoff. A single and an error put two one with just one out for the Billiken reliever. The sophomore fanned pinch hitter Jon DeLuca for out number two, then intentionally walked the Bearcats' leading hitter, Steve Pickerell to load the bases. UC turned to another pinch hitter in Eric Eitel, who delivered a single through the right side, which allowed two runs to cross the plate. Struckhoff fanned Justin Niefer to end the inning, but not before the Bearcats tied the game 5-5.

The Billiken ninth started with a leadoff walk issued by Mike Foley to pinch hitter Brad Daubach (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West). Senior Jake Friederich (Belleville, Ill./Althoff), pinch running for Daubach, moved to second on freshman Johnny Sweeney's(Belton, Mo./Rockhurst) sacrifice. Foley got senior Corey Lawson (Imperial, Mo./Windsor) to fly out to center, to set the stage for Muncy's heroics. The senior third baseman drove a single through the left side just enough for the speedy Friederich to race home from second and deliver the 6-5 victory.

The Billikens jumped out to a three-run lead in the first inning on senior Ryan Murpy's (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) home run over the left field wall. Thompson, who drew a walk, and Lawson both scored on the first baseman's third home run of the season. The Bearcats answered with a pair of runs in the top of the second. Drew Saylor led off with a single and moved to third on Jack Nelson's double down the left field line. No other Bearcat put the bat on the ball as Hutton struck out the side, but not before both runners scored on a pair of balks. UC tied it up in the top of the fifth on Saylor's two-out single, which scored Mark Muscenti, who reached on a throwing error.

SLU reclaimed the lead with a run across in the bottom of the sixth. Thompson led off with a single through the right side and moved to second on Lawson's sacrifice. UC starter Brian St. Jean intentionally walked Murphy with two outs to get to junior Kyle Wort (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell North). The team leader in two-out RBI, Wort drove a shot just over the leaping second baseman to plate Thompson for a 4-3 lead. UC went to reliever Brad Hunt in the seventh, and after recording the first out, he issued a walk to sophomore Pat Steinhoff (St. Charles, Mo./St. Charles West) and gave up a single to Sweeney. Lawson picked up the two-out RBI this time with a single to center for a 5-3 cushion.

Despite one of his better performances the season, in which he struck out seven and allowed just two earned runs in seven innings of work, Hutton did not figure into the decision for SLU. Struckhoff improved to 2-2 on the season as he struck out three and allowed just two hits in two innings of relief.

The two teams wrap up their three-game series with a 1 p.m. contest tomorrow, May 11. The Billikens will recognize their 10 seniors in a brief ceremony prior to the first pitch.