After dropping all of their games this past weekend, the Saint
Louis University men’s baseball team played the University of
Missouri Tigers last night in the Fifth Annual Wood Bat Classic at
T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O’Fallon, Mo.

The match without metal has become an annual battle for Missouri
and the Billikens. It pits the interstate rivals against each other
at a neutral site, in an effort to recreate what college baseball
used to be like, back in the day.

“This has developed into an exciting rivalry for the players,
students and alumni of these fine schools.

Having the players use wood bats and holding the game at T.R.
Hughes Ballpark also adds a nostalgic flavor to the way college
baseball used to be played.” said River City Rascals General
Manager Matt Jones.

The River City Rascals, a minor league baseball team, have
allowed the game to be held at their stadium every year. The
Rascals, members of the Independent Frontier League, thoroughly
enjoy opening their gates each year to two nearby colleges.

“Holding the college games at our ballpark is a great way for
our season ticket holders and other fans to get their fill of
baseball before the start of the Rascals season,” said Jones.

Missouri has had the Billikens number in recent years,
especially in the wood bat classic. The Tigers have won all four
battles of this war, as the Billikens look to turn things around.
The Billikens won the first match of the year in Columbia, 3-1, and
looked to sweep the season series. However, Missouri thwarted such
efforts, taking the game 3-0 from the Billikens and drawing a split
in the season series.

The Billikens seemed intimidated by the wooden bats, as they
could only muster three hits in the contest. Starter Kris Weber got
the loss giving up three earned runs in five and two-third’s
innings.

Reliever Joe Buehler held the Tigers hitless over the remainder
of the game, but the offseason was nowhere to be seen. Johnny
Sweeney, Drew Eder and Patrick Valdez were the only Billikens to
manage hits off of Missouri starter Nathan Culp.

This past weekend the Billikens had a rough series last weekend
against TCU and could not change their fortunes last night against
the Tigers. Late inning mishaps again played the Billikens, as they
allowed leads to slip away in the seventh, fifth, and eighth inning
in the three-game series. Add dismal late inning relief pitching
and five errors in the three game series and that equals late
inning losses.

That tune has been a broken record for the Billikens as they
have not been able to hold on to leads late in games all
season.

The Billikens have lost six games in a row and won only three of
their 16 games in the month of April. The Billikens look to get
their record spinning in the right direction over their last 13
games, 12 of which are in-conference matches.

First up for the Billikens is a weekend series with the
University of Cincinnati Bearcats. The Bearcats are the weakest
opponent that the Billikens have seen as of late. The Bearcats have
struggled and scratched their way to an 8-31 record, including 2-16
in Conference USA competition.

After the Bearcats, life gets no easier for the troubled
Billikens. They have three more three-game series against staunch
Conference USA opponents. The University of Tulane Green Wave has
played outstanding ball all around, on their way to a 30-13 record,
including 13-5 against C-USA foes. The University of Memphis Tigers
baseball team has played par for the course this season, staying
barely above .500 at 21-17.

East Carolina University Pirates, on the other hand, will prove
to be a thorn in the Billikens’ side. They are currently ranked as
high as No. 2 in national baseball polls. Overall, they are ranked
in the top 10 of all four nationally recognized baseball polls.