April 21, 2008

On Deck: Saint Louis looks to avenge a loss at Missouri State earlier this season when the Bears make a return trip to The Billiken Sports Center on Wednesday. Game time is set for 3 p.m. SLU (17-20, 5-10 Atlantic 10) resumes league play this weekend at home with a three-game set against George Washington beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Billikens' previously scheduled game for Tuesday at UT Martin has been canceled due to a scheduling conflict.

Following the Action: All home games may be followed through GameTracker on SLU's official athletics Web site, www.slubillikens.com. All home games are played at The Billiken Sports Center, located on the eastern edge of campus adjacent to Chaifetz Arena. Admission is free to all Billiken baseball games.

About the Billikens: Saint Louis dropped the final two games of a three-game set at St. Bonaventure after posting an 11-1 victory in the opener. On Friday, the Billikens pounded out 11 runs on 15 hits. Mike Beal started SLU's seven-run fifth inning with a grand slam before singling in another run for a career-high five RBIs, the most runs driven in by a Billiken this season. Ramee Yacoub also recorded his first career home run in the contest. The Billikens' offense was stout again in game two, slugging 14 hits and scoring 10 runs. However, the Bonnies plated seven runs over the final two innings to post the victory. The rubber match of the series came down to strong pitching, as SBU's Cody Vincent out-dueled Zach Outman for the 4-2 victory. Beal leads the team with a .340 batting average, while Ryan Bennett (.324), J.D. Dunn (.310) and Tom Pinnell (.301) also post averages above the .300 mark. Scott Turmail, who allowed just one run on five hits against SBU in the win on Friday, leads the pitching staff with a 3.06 ERA and a 6-2 record. As a team, the Bills are hitting .263 and score 5.2 runs per game. The pitching staff has a 5.30 ERA and has allowed opponents a .287 batting average.

Scouting Missouri State: The Bears, who host Oral Roberts Tuesday night before traveling to St. Louis, enter the week with a 25-13 overall record and a 10-5 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play. Last weekend, MSU took two of three in a key MVC series at Bradley. SLU and Missouri State met earlier this season at Hammons Field with the Bears claiming a 7-3 victory. Ben Carlson is hitting .423 and has blasted an MVC-leading 12 home runs and 47 RBIs. Ben Woodbury hits .414 with 27 RBIs, while Brayden Drake is second on the team with 41 RBIs to go along with a .368 batting average. Tim Clubb leads the pitching staff with a 2.67 ERA and a 6-0 record in nine starts. Tyler Ryun, who is Wednesday's projected starter, has a 2-0 record and a 4.63 ERA with 13 Ks in 23-1/3 innings. As a team, the Bears are hitting .319 and score 6.2 runs per game. The pitching staff has a 5.83 ERA and has allowed opponents a .287 batting average. Head coach Keith Guttin has an 889-576 record in 26 seasons at Missouri State. The Bears lead the all-time series 41-9.

Scouting George Washington: The Colonials, who face UMBC and James Madison this week before traveling to St. Louis, enter the week 17-21 overall and 6-9 in the Atlantic 10. The Colonials have lost four straight conference games, including last weekend when they were swept at home by Dayton. Charlie Kruer leads the team with a .362 average, eight home runs and 39 RBIs. Tim Reeves hits .246, while Sean Rockey contributes a .318 batting average. Pat Leman leads the pitching rotation with a 4.62 ERA and is tied with Eric Cantrell (4.86 ERA) with four victories. As a team, the Colonials are hitting .283 and score 6.4 runs per game. The pitching staff has a 6.68 ERA and has allowed opponents a .301 batting average. Head coach Steve Mrowka has a 106-105-1 record at GW and a career mark of 513-336-3. The Billikens lead the all-time series 3-0 after sweeping GW in a three-game set in 2006.

Rank and File: Several Billikens rank among the Atlantic 10 Conference leaders in various statistical categories. Scott Turmail leads the league in innings pitched (7.07 per game) and is second with three complete games. He is tied for second with six victories, and he leads the A-10 and is ranked 13th in the nation with an average of one walk per nine innings. Dave Sever is tied for sixth with 48 strikeouts. Greg Rodgers leads the league with 36 walks, and J.D. Dunn is third with 31 free passes and fourth with 20 stolen bases. Andrew Guerra is tied for third in the A-10 with 15 doubles. Catcher Casey Moore ranks second in the league with 18 runners caught stealing.

Double Trouble:Andrew Guerra leads the team with 15 doubles, which is tied for the seventh most in a single season at SLU. Jason Boehlow holds the school record for doubles in a season with 18, accomplished in 1992.

Running of the Bills: As a team, Saint Louis has already stolen 55 bases on the year, which is the most since the 2004 team swiped 56 bases. The school record for stolen bases in a season is 108, a feat accomplished by the 1991 team. J.D. Dunn leads the team with 20 steals in 24 tries.

Freebies: Senior first baseman Greg Rodgers has drawn a league-leading 36 walks so far this season. He has 104 for his career, which is fourth all-time.

No Freebies: Junior right-hander Scott Turmail has walked just nine batters in 70.2 innings while striking out 45. He ranks 13th nationally and first in the Atlantic 10 in fewest walks allowed per nine innings.

New Leader: Head coach Darin Hendrickson is in his first season as the Billikens' skipper. Hired in the summer of 2007, Hendrickson has found success at each of his three previous head-coaching stops during his 12-year tenure. Most recently, he led Central Missouri to three regular-season and tournament championships over the last four years and twice had his team in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division II Tournament. Previously, he led St. Louis Community College Forest Park to four NJCAA Super Regional championship games and Fontbonne University (St. Louis) to a conference title in that program's third year of existence in 1998. Hendrickson has a 13-year career record of 507-194. He is assisted by Kevin Moulder, Will Bradley and volunteer assistant Danny Jackson.

The Atlantic 10 Conference: Saint Louis is in its third season in the A-10. In their debut in 2006, the Billikens made a memorable run through the conference tournament and emerged as league champions, marking their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 40 years. The Billikens were picked to finish 10th out of 14 squads in the league race this season. The top six teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the A-10 Tournament, which for the first time will be played at a neutral site at Campbell Stadium in Camden, N.J., beginning May 21.

Early Season Accolades: Junior right-hander Scott Turmail has twice picked up A-10 Pitcher of the Week honors. In his first appearance in a Billiken uniform on Feb. 23, he allowed just four hits and struck out three in a complete-game shutout at Belmont. For his effort, he was named A-10 Pitcher of the Week and was dubbed the Northeast Region Player of the Week by CollegeBaseballInsider.com. He was named A-10 co-Pitcher of the Week for the period ending Feb. 16 after picking up a save against Fontbonne and tossing eight shutout innings against Dartmouth.

500 Wins: The Billikens' 10-8 victory against Fordham on March 29 marked the 500th win in the 12-year head-coaching career of Darin Hendrickson. He achieved 209 wins during his four-year tenure at Central Missouri, 126 in four years at Fontbonne, 155 in four years at Forest Park CC and 17 so far in his first season with the Billikens.

Beal Street: Sophomore designated hitter Mike Beal (St. Louis, Mo./Glendale CC) leads the team in hitting with a .340 average ... has 10 doubles and 21 RBIs ... walked twice and scored a run in the St. Bonaventure finale ...had two hits, including a double, and scored twice in the second SBU game ... went 3-for-5 with a grand slam and a career-high five RBIs in the opener against the Bonnies.

R&B: Senior infielder Ryan Bennett (Kansas City, Mo./Miami [Ohio]) ranks second on the club with a .324 average ... has laid down a team-high eight sacrifice bunts on the season ...singled and lifted a sacrifice fly in the second game of the St. Bonaventure series ...had two hits, a walk and a sacrifice bunt in addition to scoring a run in the first game against the Bonnies.

Well Dunn: Sophomore center fielder J.D. Dunn (Franklin, Tenn./Centennial) has started all 37 games in center, making him one of just two Billikens who have started every game ...ranks third on the team with a .310 average, first in runs (29) and home runs (3) and tied for second with 21 RBIs ... is 20-of-24 to lead the team in the stolen-bases department ... has reached base safely in all but one game this season ...singled in the final game of the SBU series ...went 2-for-3 with a double and RBI in the second game of the series ...had two hits, two walks and scored three times in the series opener against the Bonnies.

Don't Mess with Texas: Sophomore infielder Andrew Guerra (Dallas, Texas/Rice University) is hitting .298 and is second on the team with 25 runs scored ...leads the club with 15 doubles, which is tied for seventh in a single season ...is riding an eight-game hitting streak ...banged out two hits with a double and run scored in the St. Bonaventure finale ...lifted a sacrifice fly, was hit by a pitch and singled in the second game of the SBU series ...went 2-for-4 with a double, walked, stole a base and scored in the opener against the Bonnies.

Moore Power: Senior catcher Casey Moore (Lake St. Louis, Mo./Wentzville Holt) is hitting .270 with one homer and 11 RBIs ... has caught 18 base runners trying to steal, which ranks second in the conference ... went 2-for-4 and scored twice in the second game of the SBU series ...singled, walked and scored a run in the first game of the St. Bonaventure series.

A Little Moore Power: Junior shortstop/pitcher Ziggy Moore (Lake St. Louis, Mo./Wentzville Holt) has a 2-2 record and a 4.10 ERA in a team-leading 12 appearances, all in relief ...pitched two innings in the second game of the St. Bonaventure series.

Lights Out: Sophomore right-hander Zach Outman (St. Louis, Mo./Forest Park CC) has a 4.58 ERA and a 2-5 record in 11 appearances on the mound ...was the tough-luck loser in the SBU finale after pitching his first career complete game and yielding four runs (three earned) on six hits.

Hittin' BP: Sophomore right fielder Brandon Parsons (Stow, Ohio/Stow Munroe Falls) has 21 hits and has scored 13 times so far this season ...went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI in the second game against SBU ...banged out two hits and knocked in a pair of runs in addition to scoring a run in the first game of the Bonnies series.

Pinpoint: Junior third baseman Tom Pinnell (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) has started all 37 games, making him one of just two Billikens who have started every game ... hitting .301 with 21 RBIs ... has scored 17 times ...went 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the St. Bonaventure finale ...singled in a run and scored in the second SBU game ...went 1-for-3 with a walk, RBI and run scored in the St. Bona opener.

Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood: Senior first baseman Greg Rodgers (St. Charles, Mo./St. Charles CC) leads the team with 28 RBIs ...ranks fourth all-time at SLU with 107 career walks ... walked twice in the St. Bonaventure opener ...cracked two doubles, drove in a pair of runs and scored in the second game against the Bonnies ...lifted two sacrifice flies in the first game against St. Bonaventure.

All That Chaz: Junior right-hander Chaz Salembier (Brentwood, Mo./Ithaca College) has made 10 relief appearances on the mound ...pitched a scoreless ninth inning in the SBU opener.

Leave It To Sever: Junior right-hander Dave Sever (Burr Ridge, Ill./Benet Academy) is tied for sixth in the league with 48 Ks ... went 4-1/3 innings in the second game of the St. Bonaventure series.

The Mailbag: Junior right-hander Scott Turmail (Florissant, Mo./Forest Park CC) leads the pitching staff with six wins and a 3.06 ERA ... leads the conference in innings pitched (70.2) ... opponents are hitting just .237 against him ... has pitched into the seventh inning in every start this season, including the last four where he has gone eight-plus innings.

Help Me, Help You: Freshman infielder Ramee Yacoub (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills) enters the week on a nine-game hitting streak ...is batting .280 to lead all Billiken freshmen ...banged out a pair of hits in the SBU finale ...went 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored in the second game against the Bonnies ...had two hits, including his first career home run, in the first game against SBU.

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