Under head coach Darin Hendrickson, the Billikens baseball team has been improving at an exponential rate. After finishing 16-37 in the 2007 campaign, Hendrickson was hired to revive a slumping Saint Louis University program. Thus far, he has been delivering on all accounts. In Hendrickson’s first year at the helm, the Bills improved their win-loss record by eight games, finishing with a 24-29 record, the most wins ever under a first-year head coach. The Billikens continued to improve in Hendrickson’s second year, posting a 30-25 record, only the third time the team has reached 30 wins in program history.
This season, Hendrickson has helped the Billikens continue their winning ways, even against top-tier competition. Nationally, the Bills have posted a 3-2 record against opponents ranked in the top-25.
Picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic-10 by the coaches of the league, the Bills came into the season looking to capitalize on their wealth of talent and offensive firepower. The team returns three of their top four hitters from last season’s squad, including senior first baseman Danny Brock, senior catcher Ben Braaten and sophomore Zach Miller, who was named to last year’s freshman All-America team. Brock posted an impressive stat line last season, hitting for a .336 average and knocking in 38 RBIs. Braaten posted a solid average as well, hitting .335 while hitting eight home runs and leading the A-10 in walks with 49.
“There is no doubt [Brock] has the ability to be our senior leader,” Hendrickson said, in an interview with Billiken Media Relations. “He is one of the smartest players I have coached. He has good gap-to-gap power and is an excellent defensive first baseman.”
As for the rest of the infield, there were gaping holes in the beginning of the year at shortstop and third base, but two players have stepped in and made consistent contributions. Freshman Mike Levine has seen most of his action at shortstop this year, and junior-college transfer Jon Meyers has gotten most of the action at third base.
Senior J.D. Dunn also returned to his perch in center field this season to anchor the outfield. Last year, Dunn started all but three games.
“[Dunn] is one of the best defensive center-fielders that I have coached. I look for him to have a much better year, offensively,” Hendrickson said. “He is one of the hardest workers on the team who leads by example.”
The Bills took a tough loss on March 16 to Indiana State, falling by a score of 14-9. SLU gave up 9 runs in the final two innings of play. Relief pitcher Matt O’Neal had a solid appearance, going six innings in relief while giving up only two earned runs. The Bills recovered from the loss quickly, though, defeating Evansville the next day by a score of 8-7.
This past weekend saw the Bills complete their second doubleheader of the season against a ranked opponent. The Bills split two games against the No. 16 Ohio State Buckeyes back on March 6. Playing at home on March 19 though, the Billikens swept the No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks.
In the first game, the Billikens posted a 12-8 victory. Brock continued to lock in on opposing pitchers, going 3-4 with five RBIs in the game, including a three-run homer. Bryant Cotton picked up his fourth win of the season, and in the nightcap, SLU notched another win, this time by a score of 8-5, completing the sweep of the Jayhawks. Braaten went 4-4 in the second game, collecting five RBIs along the way. Jerry Mancuso picked up his second win of the year in the decision, and OíNeal came in and collected his first save of the year.
Brock, Meyers and Braaten, the 3-4-5 hitters, combined to go 14-23 with 16 RBIs in the doubleheader. The victory put their overall record at 11-9. On March 23, the Bills traveled to Southeast Missouri State for another game against the Redhawks. The Billikens fell to SEMO 8-4. SLU, ranked 14th nationally in home runs with 29, hit three four-basers in the game.
The Billikens fell 14-5 at Ole Miss on March 24. The loss brings the Bill record to 12-11 overall with a 3-2 slate against ranked opponents.
