The baseball team started off slow in a weekend series against Big 10 foe Purdue University, but gained momentum with a strong showing on Sunday afternoon. After dropping 7-1 and 4-1 contests on Friday and Saturday, the squad rebounded to post an impressive 6-5 victory at the Billiken Sports Center.
The Billikens, who have battled with offensive inconsistency for most of the season, found grooves just in time to salvage the final game of the series. With the victory on Sunday, the squad advanced to 8-9 on the season and will begin its inaugural season in the Atlantic 10 Conference after a Wednesday date with Bradley University in Peoria, Ill.
The Billikens entered Friday having won two of their last three contests. After Purdue’s first two hitters reached base, junior pitcher Ryan Bird induced a line drive which junor Gilbert Marlowe turned into a double play. Bird gave up an RBI single before settling in and striking out the next hitter to end the inning. The Billikens answered in the bottom half of the first with a trio of singles from senior Johnny Sweeney, sophomore Greg Rodgers, and senior Tim Landy. Landy’s single plated Sweeney and evened the score at 1-1.
Purdue plated two runs in the top of the second and never looked back. After the Boilermakers added runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, Bird’s day on the mound came to an end. Freshman Corey Tyberendt came in for relief and allowed only one hit in just over two innings of work.
Though the Billikens forced the Boilermakers to leave 11 men on base, they also allowed Purdue to record 18 hits on the day. The Billikens squandered several late scoring opportunities and dropped the game by a score of 7-1. Bird absorbed the loss and fell to 2-3 on the season.
The Billikens returned to action on Saturday and put forth an inspiring effort that fell just short. Freshman pitcher Dave Sever was phenomenal, allowing only two runs, neither of which was earned. The Billikens were plagued by a porous defense that committed three errors on the game. The squad was put on its toes early as Sever allowed the first two batters to reach base. After forcing a fly ball out, the next hitter singled to load the bases with only one out. Sever worked his way out of the jam by inducing two fly balls to get out of the inning unscathed.
The Bills threatened in the second after Sever retired the Boilermakers in order. After singles from Rodgers and Landy, junior Casey Moore’s failed bunt attempt forced Rodgers out at third. Purdue starter Dan Sattler settled down and struck out the next Billiken batter before ending the inning by inducing a groundout. The Boilermakers plated runs in the third and fifth innings, as costly Billiken errors allowed Purdue to open a 2-0 lead. After Sever worked around another error in the sixth inning, senior pitcher Kurt Struckhoff entered the game and provided little help in allowing two earned runs in three innings.
Despite strong offensive performances from Landy and Rodgers, the Billikens managed only five hits on the day.
The Billikens finished the series strong by posting a 6-5 victory on Sunday. Saint Louis starter Brock Hewitt was erratic, allowing five earned runs in just over six innings. He struck out four but walked three. The Boilermakers struck first by plating one run in the top of the third. The Billikens wasted no time answering; Ryan Crespi led the inning off with a triple. Freshman Tom Pinnell drove Crespi home with a sacrifice fly.
The Billikens struck again in the fourth frame when Landy began the inning with a double down the rightfield line. After an errant pickoff throw sailed into centerfield and advanced Landy to third base, Marlowe ripped a single through the infield to score Landy. The Billikens had their first lead of the series.
Hewitt struggled in the seventh; several miscues allowed the Boilermakers to plate four runs, making the score 5-2 in their favor. Senior Etienne Ratte-Delorme entered the game and ended the inning by forcing a double-play ball. Facing a sweep, the Billikens struck back by plating two runs in the bottom of the seventh. A Neil Graser single, followed by a Ziggy Moore triple, pulled the Billikens within striking distance, at 5-3. Crespi brought Moore home on a ground ball to the shortstop. The Billikens trailed by only one run as they entered the eighth inning.
Ratte-Delorme settled in and retired the Boilermakers in order in the top of the eighth inning. Rodgers began the Billiken rally with a single to leftfield. After Landy moved Rodgers to second on a sacrifice bunt, Marlowe brought Rodgers home on a scorching single up the middle. Catcher Bill Musselman played the role of hero as his single through the left side was good enough to score Marlowe from second base. Ratte-Delorme retired the side giving the Bills a huge 6-5 victory.
Athough they endured a tough weekend, the Billikens finished strong, posting an impressive victory against a Big 10 opponent.
The squad will face Bradley in an away contest before entering its first year of Atlantic 10 Conference play on Friday.
The Billikens will host the Richmond Spiders in a weekend series at the Billiken Sports Center.
