(Courtesy Saint Louis Athletics)
Saint Louis defeated Fordham 7-4 on Saturday, May 10, giving the Billikens their 30th win of the season. It is the seventh time SLU has reached the 30-win plateau and the fifth time under head coach Darin Hendrickson. Damian Rivera (5-4) earned the win, the 13th of his career. Senior Brett Vanover picked up the first save of his career on senior night.
The Billikens are now 30-18 overall and 16-6 in the Atlantic 10.
The Rams jumped on the Billikens early, scoring in the top of the first. However, SLU scored twice in the bottom half to take the lead 2-1.
Michael Bozarth led off the bottom of the second with his first home run of the season, giving SLU a 3-1 lead through two.
Fordham cut the Billiken lead to one in the fourth inning, drawing the score to 3-2.
The Billikens opened the game up in the sixth. Michael Cusenza ripped an RBI double to right center and Danny Brennan hit a two-RBI single in SLU’s three-run sixth. It is the fourth consecutive game in which the Billikens have score three or more runs in an inning.
The Rams stuck around and plated two runs in the seventh, but SLU held a 6-4 lead heading to the eighth.
Brennan tallied his third RBI of the game in the eighth with a single to right, scoring Bozarth and giving SLU a 7-4 lead.
Vanover entered in the ninth with a runner on third and two outs. The veteran righty dug deep and struck out his lone batter on four pitches, earning the save.
In addtion to his home run, Bozarth swiped two bases against the Rams, his third and fourth of the series. He now has 19 steals this season.
Shortstop Alec Solé continued his hot streak, going 3-4 with a run scored. He has now reached safely in 18 straight contests. Bozarth was 2-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Michael Cusenza went 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
On the mound, freshman southpaw Brett Shimanovsky continued to excel, throwing 2.2 innings allowing one hit, one walk and striking out three. In his past three appearances, he has thrown 6.0 innings, surrendering four hits and two walks, striking out six. Shimanovsky has not allowed an earned run since April 19 at Richmond (six appearances, 9.2 IP)
The Billikens and Rams wrap up the three game series today, May 11 at noon.
