TicketsBearcats Drop Rubber Game To SLU, 6-2
Olds solid in first pitching start
Contact: Shawn Sell
5/2/2004
Jim Olds pitched seven strong innings in his first collegiate start Sunday against Saint Louis. |
AMELIA, Ohio---Saint Louis limited the Cincinnati bats to five hits as the Billikens took the rubber game of a Conference USA baseball series, 6-2 on Sunday afternoon at Midland Field.
The Billikens? Ryan Bird pitched 6.2 innings, allowing just three hits and two runs in helping SLU improve to 13-32 overall and 4-16 in league play. The Bearcats fall to 9-34 and 3-18 in C-USA with the defeat.
The Bearcats? lack of hitting ruined an outstanding pitching performance by Jim Olds in the first start on the mound of his collegiate career. Olds, who has started games at six different positions for UC this season, hurled seven innings, allowing only three runs on seven hits, with a career-best six strikeouts. Bird ups his record to 2-5 with the Billiken victory, while Olds falls to 0-1.
After cruising through the first inning, Olds ran into trouble in the second when Drew Eder drew a walk to lead off the inning and Johnny Sweeney and Scott Peden followed with back-to-back doubles, with the latter?s allowing two runs to score. Saint Louis tacked on another run in the third on a Kyle Wort single that scored Aaron Thompson.
The Bearcats, who were held without a hit for the first 5.2 innings of the game by Bird, cut the Billiken lead to a run with two outs in the sixth inning. With one out in the frame, Bird hurt himself by walking Jack Nelson and hitting Aaron Moll. The freshman recovered to retire Drew Saylor, but then walked Steve Pickerell to load the bases. Jon DeLuca made Bird pay for his control problems, lining a two-run double to right field. Bird settled down though to retire Elliot Salcedo for the final out of the inning.
Saint Louis went on to ice the game with a three-run ninth against UC reliever Brian St. Jean. The Billikens sandwiched a pair of walks around a Sweeney single to load the bases. Bill Musselman then drove the inning?s first run across with a sacrifice fly. With Thompson at the plate, the Bearcats looked as if they would get out the inning with a potential double play ball to shortstop. But after the Bearcats forced Casey Moore at second, Mark Muscenti?s throw to first was wild, allowing a pair of runs to score and extend the Saint Louis lead to 6-2.
After Bird left in the seventh, Kris Weber took over on the mound, pitching the final 2.1 innings for his second save of the year. Sweeney, who picked up three hits, including a double, led Saint Louis at the plate. Peden also had a good day, with two hits, including a double and two RBI. The Bearcats got a pair of hits from Erik Eitel.
The Bearcats will be back in action this Tuesday with a non-conference tilt at Morehead State. First pitch in that contest is set for 5 p.m. UC?s next C-USA action will take place next weekend as the Bearcats travel south to take on Charlotte.