In their 2024 season home opener, the Lindenwood baseball team lost to the St. Louis University Billikens by a score of 10-2.
Lindenwood out-hit the Billikens, recording 11 hits to SLU’s 9. However, the score itself portrayed a much different story, largely in part to four consecutive innings of scoring late in the game by the Billikens. The loss puts the Lions at a record of 1-3 to begin the season.
The first scoring of the game came in the first inning when SLU’s first basemen Cole Smith knocked in a run on a sacrifice fly. However, Lindenwood responded an inning later, adding two runs in the bottom half of the second. Designated hitter Mitch Cummins singled to left field to score Filip Sarota, and Colin Shea drove him in later in the inning to make the score 2-1. However, it would be the last two runs of the game for the Lions.
The Billikens added a run in the third inning when second basemen Ethan Sitzman hit a sacrifice fly. Then, after a bit of a scoring lull by both teams, SLU added three more in the sixth inning. Left fielder Tyler Fogarty and designated hitter Drew Winters both singled in runs, and catcher Ben Gallagher reached on an error by Jack Meyer to score another run.
The Billikens scored twice more in the seventh inning on back-to-back triples, the first by right fielder Patrick Clohisy, and the second by Fogarty. In each of the eighth and ninth frames, SLU added one run, with Gallagher doubling in a run to left center in the eighth, and Brendan Stressler doubling to right field in the ninth.
On the pitching side of things, Michael Walsh started the game for the Lions, going three innings, only allowing one hit and two earned runs. He was relieved by Aaron Juengers, who filled up the strike zone in his outing, striking out four in two innings pitcher. However, Juengers was credited with the loss, allowing two additional earned runs. Jett Jackson and Matt James each pitched two-thirds of an inning to follow, with Jackson holding SLU scoreless, and James allowing two earned runs. Chris Rogers came into the game following James, pitching an inning and a third, allowing a run.
To finish the game, Graham Breite pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing two more runs and Quinn Council recorded the last out of the game, doing so unscored upon.
Also of note in the game, outfielder Kam Edwards recorded an assist, throwing out a runner at the plate from center fielder.
The team now goes on a three-game road trip to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to play Arkansas State University. They return home on March 1 to play four straight home games, two against the University of Omaha Nebraska, and two against Bradley University.
