The SLU Billikens are 7-0 on the season, after sweeping three games against Western Illinois over the weekend. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLU (7-0) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| Western Illinois (1-5) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
WP: Jackson Yarberry – SLU (2-0) LP: Billy Humprhey -WIU (0-2) SV: Ethan Bell – SLU (1)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
MILLINGTON, TN — The Saint Louis University baseball team completed its second weekend sweep of the season on Sunday, when it rallied from a 5-1 deficit to defeat Western Illinois, 8-5, at USA Stadium, home of Team USA Baseball.
The Billikens were down 5-1 heading into the sixth inning, but scored seven runs in the final four innings to win their third straight game over the Leathernecks.
The big blow came in eighth inning, when senior designated hitter Drew Winters launched a grand slam home run off WIU’s Billy Humphrey to give Saint Louis a 7-5 lead. It was Winters’ third homer of the year — his second straight day with a grand slam — and put him in the team lead with 13 RBIs on the season.
SLU added an insurance run in the ninth to move its season record to 7-0, which matches the team’s best start to a season since 2002.
Freshman Jackson Yarberry (2-0) got the win on the mound. He came in in the fourth inning and pitched 4 2/3 innings of relief, and held the Leathernecks to just one run on three hits, with no walks, and two strikeouts.
Once Saint Louis had the lead, senior Ethan Bell pitched a scoreless ninth to get the save.
At the plate, Ethan Sitzman, Cole Smith, and Ben Gallagher each had a hit and an RBI. Leadoff man Hayden Moore walked three times and scored two runs. Sitzman also scored two runs, as did Winters.
The Billikens will get a well-deserved day off on Monday, before returning to the diamond for a game on Tuesday against SIU-Edwardsville. First pitch at SIUE’s Roy E. Lee Field is scheduled for 3 p.m.
SLU’s next weekend set will be at the Billiken Sports Complex on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, when the club will host Le Moyne.
SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS 2024 BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 27, 2024 (Tuesday) | 3 pm | Away | SIU-Edwardsville | Edwardsville, Ill. |
| March 1, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Home | Le Moyne | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 2, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Le Moyne | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 3, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | Le Moyne | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 5, 2024 (Tuesday) | 3 pm | Home | Western Illinois | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 8, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Home | Loyola-Marymount | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Loyola-Marymount | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 10, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | Loyola-Marymount | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 12, 2024 (Tuesday) | 3 pm | Home | Missouri State | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 15, 2024 (Friday) | TBA | Away | Southeastern Louisiana | Hammond, La. |
| March 16, 2024 (Saturday) | TBA | Away | Southeastern Louisiana | Hammond, La. |
| March 17, 2024 (Sunday) | TBA | Away | Southeastern Louisiana | Hammond, La. |
| March 18, 2024 (Monday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Tulane | New Orleans, La. |
| March 22, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Home | Cincinnati | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 23, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Cincinnati | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 24, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | Cincinnati | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 26, 2024 (Tuesday) | 3 pm | Away | Kansas | Lawrence, Kan. |
| March 28, 2024 (Thursday) | 3 pm | Home | Rhode Island | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 29, 2024 (Friday) | 2 pm | Home | Rhode Island | Billiken Sports Complex |
| March 30, 2024 (Saturday) | 12 pm | Home | Rhode Island | Billiken Sports Complex |
| April 2, 2024 (Tuesday) | 3 pm | Home | SIU-Edwardsville | Billiken Sports Complex |
| April 5, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Away | Saint Joseph’s | Philadelphia, Pa. |
| April 6, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Away | Saint Joseph’s | Philadelphia, Pa. |
| April 7, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Away | Saint Joseph’s | Philadelphia, Pa. |
| April 9, 2024 (Tuesday) | 3 pm | Home | Southern Indiana | Billiken Sports Complex |
| April 12, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Home | Davidson | Billiken Sports Complex |
| April 13, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 pm | Home | Davidson | Billiken Sports Complex |
| April 14, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Home | Davidson | Billiken Sports Complex |
| April 19, 2024 (Friday) | 3 pm | Away | Fordham | New York, N.Y. |
| April 20, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 pm | Away | Fordham | New York, N.Y. |
| April 21, 2024 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Away | Fordham | New York, N.Y. |
| April 23, 2024 (Tuesday) | 3 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) |