BILLIKENS COMPLETE HISTORICAL 2013 CAMPAIGN
Saint Louis had a terrific season in 2013. The Billikens finished the season 41-21, matching the school record for wins set a season ago. They won the top seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship for the second consecutive season and won the school's third Atlantic 10 title since joining the league in 2006. The Bills competed in the Columbia Regional in the NCAA tournament, facing SEC powerhouse South Carolina and ACC foe Clemson.
GRANT NELSON DRAFTED
Senior catcher Grant Nelson was drafted in the ninth round of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He became the first Billiken drafted since Dave Sever in 2008, and the second-highest selection in school history (Ken Ossola, 1969, 8th round).
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
Several Billikens placed themselves in the record book with solid seasons. Seniors Alex Kelly (.334) and Grant Nelson (.326) finished their careers 10th and 17th in career batting average at Saint Louis. Kelly also hit 20 home runs in his career, 11th all-time at SLU. Mike Levine is scattered throughout the record book. He holds the all-time records for assists (723), games played (236) and games started (230). Levine also is seventh in doubles (45), eighth in runs (136), seventh in total bases (308) and 12th in walks (91). On the mound, Senior Alex Alemann solidified himself as one of the top pitchers in SLU history, setting records in career wins (27) and innings pitched (397.1). Senior Jon Levin went from freshman tryouts in 2010 to setting the school appearance record (90) in 2013.
Mike Vigliarolo had one of the best seasons in SLU history in 2013. He finished with 87 hits (second-most), 19 doubles (second), 134 total bases (sixth) and 519 putouts (third). Kelly also was very strong, finishing with 84 hits (fourth), 61 RBIs (seventh), 12 home runs (10th), 17 doubles (sixth) and 137 total bases (fourth).
AT THE A-10 CHAMPIONSHIP
The Billikens made a historical run to capture their third Atlantic 10 tournament title and return to the NCAA tournament. The Billikens won five games in three days, including four in 27 hours. Saint Louis' hot bats kept the team alive in the consolation bracket. As a team, SLU collected 92 hits in six days (.395 average), shattering the previous A-10 Tournament record of 65. They also broke the tournament record with eight HR. Senior OF Alex Kelly was named the tournament MVP after breaking the tournament records in hits (15) and RBIs (13). He hit .536 with a .929 slugging percentage and a .533 on-base percentage. Freshman OF Michael Bozarth tied the tournament record for individual HR with three, the first three HR of his career.
BILLIKENS DOMINATE ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Saint Louis had six Billikens named to the All-Conference team, two to the All-Rookie team, one to the All-Academic team and the co-Player of the Year. Mike Vigliarolo was named the co-Player of the year, the first time a Billiken has won the honor in the A-10 and is believed to be the first such honor in school history. He was joined on the first team by Grant Nelson, Alec Solé and Alex Kelly. Clay Smith and Mike Levine were named to the second team. Freshmen Braxton Martinez and Matt Eckelman were All-Rookie selections. Alex Alemann earned Academic All-Conference plaudits.
WALK LIKE A BILLIKEN
SLU drew 253 walks this season, most in the Atlantic 10 and 37th nationally. Grant Nelson led the Billikens with 37 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.
WE'VE GOT THE POWER
Saint Louis has hit 44 home runs this season, the most in the A-10 and 28th in the NCAA. Alex Kelly led the Bills with 12 round-trippers (32nd in NCAA) and is followed closely by Mike Vigliarolo with eight (tied for second in A-10).
LEADING IN LONGEVITY
Senior RHP Alex Alemann is the NCAA's active leader in career games started (61) and career innings pitched (397.1), while ranking fifth in career victories (27). His 266 career strikeouts are 18th among all Division I pitchers and his 10 complete games are 19th.
BULLPEN BULLIES
The Billiken bullpen has had a terrific season. Five different pitchers made 18 or more appearances and five hurlers have recorded at least one save. On the season, the Bills have 209 innings in relief with 190 hits, 70 earned runs and 178 strikeouts to 93 walks. The pen has a combined 3.01 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.
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. After the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship, the Bills won 41 games, tying the school record set last season. Hendrickson has set the wins record three times in his six seasons. He is the only coach in SLU history to led the Billikens to back-to-back 30 win seasons, a feat he has accomplished twice.
STREAK UPDATES
Mike Vigliarolo finished 2013 with SLU's longest hitting streak at 16 games. He also tied with Mike Levine for the longest on base streak at 22 games.
HITS IN BUNCHES
The Billiken offense has been firing on all cylinders in 2013. In 60 games, the Billikens have had 37 games of 10 or more hits. SLU has reached the 10-hit plateau in each of its last six games. Six Billikens have had at least 20 multiple-hit games this season.
FANTASTIC FRESHMEN
Saint Louis had five freshmen hitters and three freshmen pitchers who contributed for the Billikens in 2013. Braxton Martinez led SLU freshmen in batting average and leadoff man Michael Bozarth led in on-base percentage (.394) and slugging percentage (.453). On the hill, Matt Eckelman was one of the Bills' top relievers posting a 6-1 record and a 1.64 ERA in 49.1 IP. All said, the Billiken freshmen hit .303 with a .440 slugging percentage and a .391 on-base percentage. On the mound, they were 11-3 with a 3.08 ERA, 118 strikeouts and 60 walks.
BILLIKEN POWER CORE
Saint Louis has four big hitters that led the Billikens' juggernaut offense. Mike Vigliarolo (.525), Alex Kelly (.557), Braxton Martinez (.450) and Grant Nelson (.460) are each in the top 15 in the A-10 in slugging percentage. The foursome has combined for 32 home runs this season, more than any other TEAM in the A-10 (Saint Joseph's is the closest with 27).
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 three seasons (3.65 ERA in 2013).
SMITH EARNS SECOND WEEKLY PLAUDIT
Junior RHP Clay Smith earned his second Pitcher of the Week honor on May 20, the last honor of the 2013 season. A day after Charlotte claimed a share of the A-10 regular season title, Smith threw a complete-game one-hitter against the Niners, giving SLU a chance to earn a share of the regular-season crown. Entering the series, the 49ers were hitting .292 as a team, but Smith held them to a .034 average against him.
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.
