University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Saint Louis
Baseball Rallies Late, But Early Homers Lead Billikens To 6-5 Friday Win
05/13/2011 | Baseball
May 13, 2011
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - Richmond scored the game's final four runs, but Saint Louis took the opener of a three-game series at Pitt Field 6-5 Friday afternoon. The Billikens launched three homers in the game, including back-to-back first inning shots that gave the visitors a 3-0 lead.
Junior Chris Cowell smashed a two-run shot over the wall in right-center that highlighted a four-run uprising in the seventh inning, but the Spiders were denied their 17th comeback win of the season as Billiken closer Travis Parker slammed the door over the final two innings for his ninth save.
The loss dropped Richmond to 23-23-2 overall and into a sixth-place tie with Fordham at 10-9 in the A-10, while Saint Louis improved to 27-22, 8-11.
Saint Louis starter Alex Alemann blanked the Spiders over the first five innings as his team built the 3-0 lead in the first thanks to Jon Myers' two-run homer to center and Zach Miller's solo shot to left in the next at-bat.
The visitors made it 4-0 in the second when Conor Gandossy scored on a sacrifice fly from Cody Cotter and denying senior RF Mike Mergenthlaer his 11th outfield assist of the season - which would have moved him into the NCAA's lead in that category. Mergenthaler fired a rocket home, the throw beat the runner to the plate and C Bryan Conway applied what was ruled to be a late tag.
Richmond starter Bret Williams settled in after the rocky start and held the Billikens scoreless over the next four innings, but SLU struck for a pair of much needed insurance runs in the seventh. Williams worked 6.1 innings, allowed six runs with six strikeouts and one walk but was tagged the loss (7-2).
Richmond put the first three runners on base to trigger its seventh-inning rally to chase Alemann. Reliever Jon Levin allowed a sacrifice fly from JB Gadd that scored Conway and other sacrifice fly from Mergenthaler to plate Matt Zink before Cowell's two-run bomb.
Alemann got the win (5-5) after allowing seven hits and four runs in 6.0 innings and watched from the dugout as Richmond clawed its way back in the seventh and left a runner stranded in scoring position in the eighth inning.
The Spiders out-hit the Billikens 9-8, getting a three-for-four day from senior 1B Billy Barber and a pair of hits from Cowell. Richmond, which came up empty after loading the bases with one out in the second and leaving two stranded in the fourth, left seven runners on base.
Saturday's game has been changed to 12 p.m. due to forecasted rain and Richmond's Senior Day ceremony will be conducted prior to tomorrow's first pitch.
