The Saint Louis University Billikens baseball team lost 12-8 against Western Kentucky last Friday, but managed to salvage the season-opening series with a 5-2 win the following day. Inclement weather cancelled the series finale.
Opening day saw a lot of offense and inopportune defense for the Billikens.
SLU trailed 1-0 after giving up an unearned run in the bottom of the second, but responded with a three-run inning in the top of the fourth.
The Billikens had runners on first and second with no outs after senior centerfielder Mark Guyre led off the inning with a sacrifice bunt and senior shortstop Pat Steinhoff walked. Junior rightfielder Matt Gerst singled in the tying run before senior third baseman Scott Peden gave the Billikens a 3-1 advantage with a two-run home run.
SLU held a 6-5 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, but Western Kentucky blew the game open with a seven-run inning.
An Adam Schroeder wild pitch on strike three proved to be the turning point in the game. A two-run homer from Jordan Newton, three doubles, a sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice put the Hilltoppers up 11-6.
Freshman reliever Mark Zielinski, who made his first collegiate appearance, gave up one more run before getting the Billikens out of the inning.
A two-run home run by Matt Gerst in the top of the ninth was not enough, and the Billikens fell 12-8.
"One area that we need to keep working on is our defense. We had a few errors that cost us," said senior first baseman Drew Eder, who was one of five Billikens with at least two hits. "We played well for seven innings but they had a big inning late and it got out of reach."
Great pitching and timely hitting made the difference in the Billikens' first win of the season the following day.
Junior Tim Landy pitched seven strong innings, allowing just four hits and holding the Hilltoppers hitless for four innings.
The Billikens broke a 1-1 tie with a four-run sixth inning. Sophomore catcher Casey Moore's sacrifice fly plated junior leftfielder Johnny Sweeney to give SLU a 2-1 advantage.
A bases-clearing double by Gerst later in the inning gave the Billikens a 5-1 lead.
Senior Patrick Valdez saved the game for SLU, giving Landy and the Billikens their first win of the season.
"Tim Landy was the key," Eder said. "He threw strikes and gave us a huge boost."
"We competed well and got contributions from a lot of different people," Sweeney said. "We played well as a team, especially in the win, and many people played big roles this weekend."
Despite opening the season with a loss, the Billikens remain optimistic about the upcoming season, and they have good reason to be if they can continue to get quality pitching and clutch hitting.
"We have a lot of room to grow together as a team," Sweeney said. "We have many people capable of performing and we will need contributions from these people in different situations to be successful."
The Billikens, who play again Friday at Creighton, have their sights set on a great season.
"Our goal for this season is to make the conference tournament," Eder said. "We are getting ready for conference and hopefully by that time we will have all of our pitchers healthy and ready to contribute. If that is the case, I believe we can surprise some people."
