PREVIEW
Charlotte:
The Billikens will host first-place Charlotte in the final series of the regular season this weekend starting at 6:30 on May 16. The Bills swept Charlotte last season and have won the last five contests against the Niners. However, Charlotte owns the series record at 33-16.
The 49ers are led at the plate by the dangerous Justin Seager, who is in the top five of the A-10 in average (.368), slugging percentage (.518) and on-base percentage (.461). He leads the conference in runs scored (42) and doubles (21). The ace of the staff is Brock Hudgens. He has a 6-0 record with a 2.86 ERA, 71 SO (third in A-10) and 29 walks. This season, Hudgens has held batters to a .217 average against him.
SENIOR NIGHT
Head coach Darin Hendrickson and Saint Louis University will be honoring the seniors in a pregame ceremony prior to first pitch on Saturday May 18. Ceremony is expected to begin at 1:45.
LAST TIME OUT
The Billikens powered over the Southern Illinois Salukis, 11-0 at GCS Ballpark on Tuesday, May 14. Saint Louis hit a season-best four home runs in the contest and it was the third consecutive game in which SLU scored double-digit runs. Freshman southpaw Josh Moore picked up his first career win dealing 6.0 scoreless innings with three hits, five strikeouts and one walk. The shutout win was the fourth time the Billikens have held their opponent scoreless this season.
A-10 PLAYOFF PICTURE
Saint Louis is currently tied with La Salle for second in the Atlantic 10 standings. The Billikens play first-place Charlotte this weekend in a series that could determine the regular-season champion. Behind the top three, Rhode Island, Xavier, Richmond, Saint Joseph's and George Washington are all candidates to make it to the seven-team A-10 Championship.
WALK LIKE A BILLIKEN
Entering the series, SLU has 222 walks this season, most in the Atlantic 10 and 37th nationally. Alex Kelly is fourth in the A-10 with 33 walks drawn. Since head coach Darin Hendrickson took over in 2008, the Billikens have ranked in the top three of the Atlantic 10 in walks drawn in each season. They led the league with 268 walks in 2012, which ranked 19th in the NCAA.
WE'VE GOT THE POWER
Saint Louis has hit 35 home runs this season, the most in the A-10 and 44th in the NCAA. Alex Kelly leads the A-10 with nine homers and is followed closely by Mike Vigliarolo with seven (tied for second in A-10).
LEADING IN LONGEVITY
Senior RHP Alex Alemann is the NCAA's active leader in career games started (58) and career innings pitched (383.2), while ranking third in career victories (27). His 256 career strikeouts are 13th among all Division I pitchers and his nine complete games are 17th. Senior 2B Mike Levine is eighth in games played with 222.
BULLPEN BULLIES
The Billiken bullpen has had a terrific season thus far. Five different pitchers have made 16 or more appearances and five hurlers have recorded at least one save. On the season, the Bills have 173 innings in relief with 152 hits, 55 earned runs and 154 strikeouts to 80 walks. The pen has a combined 2.86 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.
#ObscureStatOfTheWeek
This season, SLU scores 53.8% of the time there is a runner on third with less than 2 outs at home games in A-10 play
BILLIKEN DYNASTY
With a 2-0 win over Richmond on April 28, SLU sealed its 30th win of the season. It is the sixth time in school history a Billiken team has reached the 30-win plateau. Four of these seasons have come under head coach Darin Hendrickson.
STREAKING THROUGH THE A-10
Mike Levine had a season-best 14-game hitting streak broken on April 16 against Wash U. He went on to have a season-best 22 game on base streak that was broken on May 5 at VCU. The longest active streaks for the Billikens belong Mike Vigliarolo, who is on a 12 game streak, the longest active streak in the A-10. This streak is also the longest active on-base streak for SLU.
STELLAR SENIORS
Marco Mejia has accepted a larger role as a senior. He has a team-best five saves this season and is holding batters to a .238 batting average against him in 23.2 innings of work. Jon Levin is the top lefty out of the bullpen for Saint Louis, and with good reason. He has posted a 1.59 ERA in 23 appearances, recording 13 strikeouts and five walks. Levin has only had two appearances this season in which he allowed more than one hit.
FRESHMAN PHENOMS
Saint Louis has five freshmen hitters and three freshmen pitchers who are contributing for the Billikens this season. Braxton Martinez leads SLU freshmen in batting average (.330), slugging percentage (.470) and on-base percentage (.403). On the hill, Matt Eckelman has been one of the Bills' top relievers posting a 6-0 record and a 1.80 ERA in 40 IP. All said, the Billiken freshmen are hitting .304 with a .432 slugging percentage and a .393 on-base percentage. On the mound, they are 10-2 with a 3.08 ERA, 101 strikeouts and 50 walks.
BILLIKEN POWER CORE
Saint Louis has four big hitters that are leading the Billikens' juggernaut offense. Mike Vigliarolo (.519), Alex Kelly (.510), Braxton Martinez (.470) and Grant Nelson (.465) are each in the top 15 in the A-10 in slugging percentage. The foursome has combined for 27 home runs this season, more than any other TEAM in the A-10.
TURNING TWO
Senior 2B Mike Levine has been a defensive stalwart for the Bills in his career. Since joining the team in 2010, Saint Louis has lead the A-10 in double plays turned. Additionally, two of the top three single-season assist totals have come from Levine. The only player to have more assists in a single season than Levine: his double play partner, Alec Solè, who set the record last season with 197 assists.
GOLDEN ARMS
The Billikens' recent success is due largely in part to great pitching. Only four teams in SLU history have finished the season with a sub-4.00 ERA. Saint Louis has achieved the feat in each of the past two seasons, and currently has a 3.77 ERA in 2013. Additionally, five pitchers have had seasons of sub-4.00 ERAs in the past three seasons.
BILLIKEN DUO EARNS WEEKLY HONORS
Mike Vigliarolo and Clay Smith were named the A-10 Player and Co-Pitcher of the Week, respectively on April 29. Against Richmond, Vigliarolo was 8-12 with three doubles, three home runs, four RBIs and four runs scored. He posted a slugging percentage of 1.667 and a .667 on-base percentage. Smith closed out the series with a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts and only two hits. Smith carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning.
MARTINEZ NAMED ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Braxton Martinez was named the A-10 Rookie of the Week on April 8 after leading the Bills to a series sweep of Butler. He hit .500 with a .550 on-base percentage and a .812 slugging on the week. Martinez is one of the top freshman hitters in the A-10 and leads all rookies in average, on-base and slugging.
KELLY NAMED A-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alex Kelly earned weekly honors on March 25 for his efforts the week ending March 24. Kelly opened conference play with a bang, leading SLU to a sweep of defending A-10 tournament champion Dayton. Against the Flyers, he was 5-12 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBIs. Additionally, Kelly had a home run and three RBIs against in-state foe Southeast Missouri State.
NELSON EARNS CONFERENCE ACCOLADE
Grant Nelson was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for the week ending March 10. Nelson helped lead the Billikens to wins over San Diego and Michigan in the University of San Diego Tournament. In five games, he hit .467 with a .619 on-base percentage and a .533 slugging percentage. Against powerhouse San Diego, Nelson went two-for-three against All-America pitcher Michael Wagner.
HEAD COACH DARIN HENDRICKSON
Darin Hendrickson entered his sixth season with a career record of 492-227 at NCAA four-year institutions (157-127 at Saint Louis). Entering the 2013 season, his career win percentage was .684, ranking him tenth among active NCAA Division I head coaches. Hendrickson is the reigning Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year after leading the Billikens to a school-record 41 wins and a A-10 Regular Season Co-Championship.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
2B Mike Levine is 11 doubles away from most on all-time list (54, Adam Gabris)
LHP Jon Levin is one appearance away from tying all-time mark (84, John Moriarty)
LHP Jon Levin is four appearances from Saint Louis single season record (27, Travis Parker 2012)
LHP Jon Levin and RHP Marco Mejia are each three saves away from third all-time (8, Chad Tayton/B.J. Rodrigue)
RHP Alex Alemann is 26 strikeouts from most all-time (286, Ryan Bird)
SS Alec Solé is two assists away from ninth all-time (371, Pat Steinhoff)
RHP Alex Alemann, RHP Nick Bates, RHP Matt Eckelman and RHP Clay Smith are three wins away from tying single season wins record (nine)
