April 1, 2006

Box Score

Saint Louis, Missouri - The Dukes fought back but lost by one run as Saint Louis won the first game of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader, 5-4, at the Billiken Sports Center. The first-year Atlantic 10 Conference team extended their 2-1 lead with a four-run rally on the way to an 11-1 win in the nightcap. Saint Louis is now 13-12, 4-2 in the A-10.

Down 2-1 in the opener heading to the top of the sixth, the Dukes scored twice to take a 3-2 lead. The ex-Conference USA team responded with three in their next at-bat to go back on top, 5-3. Sophomore Dante Plassio's double in the eighth drove in classmate Eric Morrison tightening the margin to 5-4. Freshman Gary Pierpont got to third in the ninth but the Dukes couldn't bring in him.

Plassio was walked twice and went a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI. Sophomore Derek Mechling scored twice and was 2-for-3 with a walk. Also putting up two hits were freshmen Pierpont (2-4) and Anthony Manley (2-3).

Sophomore Nick Jones (1-1), in relief of starter senior Scott Chisholm, was charged with the loss. He struck out three but gave up one run, the Billikens' fifth, in his 2 2/3 innings.

This was the second one-run game in the series. The Dukes won game one Friday, 7-6.

The Dukes opened the scoring in the second game on two singles and a throwing error that scored Manley as Mechling stole second. SLU put up single runs in their first two at-bats for a 2-1 lead. Four-runs in the fourth broke open the game.

Junior Joe Berletic went 2-for-3 as the Dukes were held to five hits by Ryan Bird (3-4). Senior Bob Hartle (0-2), who pitched the first two frames, picked up the loss.

The Dukes (6-17, 2-4 A-10) next head to Kent, Ohio for a non-conference contest with Kent State (12-10,3-2 MAC) on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.