Southern Illinois University
Saint Louis
Baseball Drops Home Finale To St. Louis 8-1
05/14/2002 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
May 14, 2002
Carbondale, Ill. - St. Louis University (21-26) scored seven runs in the first two innings and went on to beat Southern Illinois University (30-20, 15-13 MVC) 8-1 in the Salukis' 2002 home finale at Abe Martin field on Tuesday.
"I'm disappointed in the outcome. We didn't pitch well out of the gate and couldn't establish any momentum. It's demoralizing to fall behind 7-0 in the second inning. The guys started pressing, we couldn't get anything going offensively and we had some very poor at bats, which isn't good. If we plan to compete with Wichita State we have to be better offensively this weekend," Dan Callahan, Saluki head coach stated.
"We played well on defense and the last four pitchers did a good job allowing just six hits and a run the last seven and two third innings. Bill Clayton struggled but the rest of the guys pitched well."
SIU won the last four games Bill Clayton (2-2) started, but he allowed a season-high seven earned runs on five hits and two walks with one strikeout to suffer the loss.
St. Louis hit a two-run home run in the first to take a 2-0 lead and scored five runs in the second inning on three singles, two walks, a double and a sacrifice fly to take a 7-0 lead and chase Clayton.
Bryan Rueger (3.2 inns.), Jason Westemeir (2 inns.), Marshall tucker (1 inn.) and P.J. Finigan (1 inn.) allowed six hits, one run, three walks and struck out two the last seven and two third innings in relief.
SIU scored its lone run in the third inning when Ryan Murray doubled, Justin Maurath moved him to third on a single and Jeff Stanek provided a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 7-1. SLU added a run in the fifth to wrap up the scoring.
Billiken starter Brad Wehrfritz (3-3) went five innings with four strikeouts, one walk, one run and six hits allowed.
Murray (2-for-3, run, double), Maurath (2-for-4), Sal Frisella (1-for-2) and Scott Hankey (1-for-1, double) led the Salukis.
Southern Illinois will end the regular season at Wichita State this weekend with a single game on Friday at 7 p.m., a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. and a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kans.
