The SLU Billikens discuss pitching and defensive strategy during Sunday’s game against Fordham. (Photo courtesy: SLU Athletics)
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Louis (26-10) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Fordham (16-22) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
WP: Aric Berg – FOR (5-4) LP: Evan Gray – SLU (1-2)
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
BRONX, NY — The Saint Louis University baseball team suffered its second straight road Atlantic 10 Conference series loss on Sunday, when it was defeated 5-4 by Fordham University, on a walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Saint Louis led 4-3 and just need to get three outs without letting Fordham score to secure the win and the series victory as well. The Billikens had won the series opener on Friday and the host Rams won Game 2 on Saturday, setting up Sunday’s rubber game at Houlihan Park in New York.
With one on and one out in that final inning, Fordham slugger Daniel Bucciero smashed a deep shot over the left field wall — his second homer of the day — to lift the Rams to a 5-4 win. It was also the third straight Atlantic 10 series Fordham won.
The Rams had taken the lead early in the game, when they scored two runs in the first inning and a single run in the third to go ahead 3-0. Saint Louis answered with runs in the fourth and sixth inning to take a 4-3 lead.
The first run came by way of a solo homer by Drew Winters. It was a deep blast over the center field wall that made the score 3-1.
The big blow for the Billikens came in the sixth, when freshman Graham Mastros launched a long, three-run homer over the left field fence that put SLU up 4-3.
For Winters, it was his seventh homer of the season, while Mastros’ blast was his fifth of the year.
It looked like the one-run edge would hold, as the Billikens got the Rams out fairly easily in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. SLU even got the first out of the ninth on the first pitch.
But the next Fordham batter singled to put the tying run on. And after Saint Louis went to reliever Evan Gray, Bucciero hit his team-leading sixth homer of the year to win the game for the Rams.
The loss dropped SLU’s overall record to 26-10. The Billikens are also 8-4 in conference play, which puts the a half-game ahead of Dayton and VCU for first place in the A-10.
Fordham is 16-22 and 7-5 and tied for third place with Richmond.
Saint Louis will look to get back on the winning track, when it takes on Lindenwood on Tuesday, in a game at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles. First pitch that day is scheduled for 6 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Logo | Team | Inning | Play Description | SLU | FOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | FOR | 1st | Bucciero (5) homered to left field, RBI (2-2 KBSB). | 0 | 1 |
| FOR | 1st | Sahler doubled to right field, RBI (1-1 BF); Kanellis advanced to third; Thiesse scored. | 0 | 2 |
| FOR | 3rd | Pelinski singled up the middle, RBI (1-0 B); Ocko advanced to second; McAndrews scored. | 0 | 3 |
 | SLU | 4th | WINTERS (7) homered to center field, RBI (0-0). | 1 | 3 |
| SLU | 6th | MASTROS (5) homered to left field, 3 RBI (2-2 SSBB); WINTERS scored; FOGARTY scored. | 4 | 3 |
| FOR | 9th | Bucciero (6) homered to left field, 2 RBI (0-1 F); Genaro scored. | 4 | 5 |
SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS 2024 BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 23, 2024 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Away | Lindenwood | St. Charles, Mo. |
| April 26, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Away | George Washington | Washington, D.C |
| April 27, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 pm | Away | George Washington | Washington, D.C |
| April 28, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Away | George Washington | Washington, D.C |
| April 30, 2024 (Tuesday) | 4 pm | Away | Butler | Indianapolis, Ind. |
| May 3, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Home | George Mason | Billiken Sports Complex |
| May 4, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | George Mason | Billiken Sports Complex |
| May 5, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | George Mason | Billiken Sports Complex |
| May 7, 2024 (Tuesday) | 4 pm | Home | Lindenwood | Billiken Sports Complex |
| May 10, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Home | Dayton | Billiken Sports Complex |
| May 11, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Dayton | Billiken Sports Complex |
| May 12, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | Dayton | Billiken Sports Complex |
| May 16, 2024 (Thursday) | 3 pm | Away | UMass | Amherst, Mass. |
| May 17, 2024 (Friday) | 1 pm | Away | UMass | Amherst, Mass. |
| May 18, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Away | UMass | Amherst, Mass. |
| May 21, 2024 (Tuesday) | TBA | Neutral | Atlantic 10 Championship | Tysons, Va. (Capital One Park) |