Sometimes bluntness is the only way to go. Just ask baseball
coach Bob Hughes, he’ll tell you.

“I’m embarrassed by the score today,” Hughes said, making no
bones about Saint Louis University’s 21-10 loss to the Southwest
Missouri State University Bears Tuesday afternoon.

The only thing colder than the 38 degree weather was the team’s
pitching staff, using seven from the bullpen after Billiken
right-hander Eric Rohr put in slightly more than two innings of
work.

The Billikens gave up 21 runs on 21 hits, including six
homeruns. SMS scored more runs in the chilly outing than their
season total heading into the game.

“We need work on throwing strikes, locating our pitches,
throwing breaking balls and staying ahead of the count,” Hughes
said.

The Bears took an early lead in the first inning when Brooks
Colvin knocked a solo homerun over the centerfield wall and Ryan
Gotcher scored later in the inning.

SLU caught the Bears and pulled ahead in the bottom of the
second with a string of hits put Drew Eder, Patrick Valdez and
Johnny Sweeny on base and Neil Graser picked up an RBI for sending
Eder home after SMS pitcher Chris Krawczyk mishandled the ball.

Valdez scored off a single by Eric Mueller and Sweeny added the
third run after Aaron Thompson’s ground out.

“Early in the game it was like watching batting practice,”
Hughes said. “It was a roller coaster ride.”

SMS answered back loudly and took the Bills for a ride after SLU
put in reliever Karl Steinlage with a homerun by Jerry Neyra in the
top of the third.

Later in the inning, the Bears’ Jud Kindle sent a long ball into
centerfield, tripling and plating three runs to take a 6-3
lead.

SLU’s bats fell silent for the next four innings, but SMS was
anything but. Southwest picked up two runs in the fourth inning and
another three in the fifth after Jake Manning homered and Toby
Gardenhire knocked one out of the Billiken Sports Complex and drove
in a run. SLU did not have a single hit in the bottom half of the
inning.

SMS went on an all-out rampage against the Billikens in the
sixth inning, plating four more runs to bring the score to 15-3 in
favor of the Bears, while the Billikens managed a couple of hits,
but ended the inning with two left on base.

In the seventh inning, the Billikens tried everything–even a
completely fresh lineup, replacing everyone except Mueller behind
the plate–to catch up. SMS was quiet in the top of the seventh for
the first time all afternoon, while the Billikens got the ball
rolling after an RBI double by designated hitter Jerry Vickery
chipped away at the Bears’ lead.

The eighth inning was nothing but runs galore from both teams,
with SLU adding two more for a total of eight runs, compared to
SMS’ jump to 21 runs by the end of the inning.

The Billikens exhausted two relievers in giving up the six runs
of the inning, all of which came without a single home run by the
Bears. In a move uncharacteristic of the outing, the Bears left
three runners on base at the end of the inning.

The Bills’ offense was sparked in the bottom of the inning when
first baseman Brad Daubach got on base with a double.

Michael Crane put in the strongest offensive performance by the
Billikens with an RBI triple to put the Billikens at a 6-21
deficit. Rightfielder Jon Greenwich and Mueller collected an RBI
apiece and the Bills finished the inning 9-21 in the hole.

SMS left two on in the top of the ninth and was held scoreless
by SLU’s last pitcher from the bullpen, freshman right-hander Ryan
Sweet.

Crane, who went two-for-two in the outing, collected his third
RBI of the afternoon with a single to bring the game to the final
score of 21-10.

The inning and the ballgame ended with Crane and Greenwich
thrown out at first and second in a double play.

“I had some good opportunities,” Crane said after dealing with
SMS reliever Jeff Claybrook’s fastball. “I knew [SMS’] pitcher was
thinking they were up by a ton of runs and he’d be throwing
strikes. I was able to focus.”

The Billikens dip to 6-10 while the Bears improve to 6-8. Hughes
said he hopes the Billiken pitching staff can improve its
consistency during the Conference USA stretch, which begins this
Friday at 5 p.m. at the Billiken Sports Complex.

C-USA Season Opener

Who: UNC-Charlotte 49ers

When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Where: Billiken Sports Complex