The SLU Billikens celebrate winning both games of a doubleheader, Saturday afternoon at the Billiken Sports Complex. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
ST. LOUIS, MO — Patrick Clohisy hit a grand slam in Game 1, then added three more hits and two more RBIs in Game 2 to lead the Saint Louis University baseball team to a doubleheader sweep over visiting Loyola-Marymount, Saturday afternoon at the Billiken Sports Complex.
Saint Louis won Game 1, 9-5, and had to hold on to a late lead to win Game 2, 8-6.
The Billikens are now 13-1 on the season, while Loyola-Marymount, which came to town having won four of its previous five games, is now 7-7.
Game 1 – Saint Louis 9, Loyola-Marymount 5
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola-Marymount (7-6) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Saint Louis University (12-1) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | X | 9 | 9 | 1 |
WP: Tommy Ray – SLU (1-0) LP: Owen Hackman (3-1) SV: Jack Weber – SLU (1)
Clohisy blasted a grand slam home run, his fourth dinger of the season, in the bottom of the third to give SLU a 4-1 lead.
Both teams scored single runs in the fourth inning to make it 5-2. But that’s when the Billikens really went to work.
They added two runs in the fifth and single runs in the seventh and eighth to go ahead big. LMU rallied with a couple of runs in the ninth, but Saint Louis was able to hang on for the win.
Starter Tommy Ray (1-0) got the win on the mound. He pitched six innings and gave up just two runs on two hits, while striking out seven and walking just two. Teammate Jack Weber got his first save of the season. He pitched the final three innings.
Game 2 – Saint Louis 8, Loyola-Marymount 6
| NCAA Baseball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola Marymount (7-7) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| Saint Louis University (13-1) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 8 | 14 | 0 |
WP: Jackson Holmes – SLU (4-0) LP: Ryan Towers – LMU (1-1) SV: Ethan Bell – SLU (2)
The Billikens racked up 14 hits, three each by Clohisy, Hayden Moore, and Cole Smith, and two apiece by Ethan Sitzman and Tyler Fogarty to put up another big lead on the Lions.
LMU took an early lead on a two-run homer in the top of the first. But SLU answered right back with three runs in the bottom half to take the lead.
Clohisy doubled home Sitzman to get the Billikens on the board, then Fogarty doubled home Clohisy to tie the score. Smith scored on a sacrifice fly by Drew Winters to put Saint Louis in the lead.
LMU scored in the top of the second to tie the score again, but that’s when SLU’s bats took over again.
The Billikens got two runs in the bottom of the second to re-take the lead. Then Fogarty homered — his fourth of the season — in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 6-3.
Moore tripled home Graham Mastros for a run in the fifth and Smith singled home Clohisy for a run in the sixth to give the Billikens what seemed like a comfortable 8-3 lead heading into the seventh.
But LMU made the game close again, thanks to a three-run homer in the top of the seventh, then gave itself chances to potentially tie the game when it got more runners on base in the ninth. But reliever Ethan Bell was able to shut the door and get the final out to pick up his second save of the season.
Starting pitcher Jackson Holmes (4-0) got the win, after going five innings and allowing three runs on four hits, with no walks, and five strikeouts.
The Billikens and Lions will play the final game of their set, Sunday afternoon at noon.
SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS 2024 BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |