SIUE Routs Billikens 12-3

Box Score

March 25, 2009

         SAUGET, Ill. -- Spencer Patton threw seven shutout innings as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville routed Saint Louis 12-3 Wednesday at GCS Ballpark.
         SIUE and SLU baseball renewed its border rivalry with the Cougars taking the first game of what will be a four-contest series this season.
         The Cougars improved to 4-12 while the Billikens dropped to 12-11. SLU was coming off a 15-11 win over nationally-ranked Ole Miss on the road less than 24 hours ago.
         "Every win is a big win right now," said SIUE coach Gary Collins. The Cougars may have benefited from SLU's early-morning return from the Ole Miss game. "We were fortunate. They had to be tired after a late night."
         Patton gave up just two hits to the Billiken lineup and struck out eight. It was Patton's first win of the season.
         SIUE's offense was quiet until the fourth inning. Yet once started, the Cougars erupted for 15 hits on the day, gathering steam from all parts of the lineup.
         The Cougars picked up back-to-back RBI hits from Chase Thrasher and Dustin Brooks in the fourth. Mitch Matecki's sacrifice fly RBI made it 3-0.
         Brooks put the Cougars ahead 4-0 in the sixth with his first home run of the season, a blast over the left field fence.
         Josh Street connected on his sixth home run of the season in the seventh inning. His two-run homer drove in Chilos Norris III and gave SIUE a 6-0 lead.
         The Cougars would double their score in the final two innings, roughing up the Billiken bullpen for six runs on six more hits.
         "We got production from the bottom of the lineup. That's why we were able to score that many runs," said Collins.
         SIUE first baseman Michael Hopkins led all hitters with four hits and lifted his season batting average to .273.
         Garrett Cooper, 0-2, took the loss for SLU. He went four innings and gave up three runs on five hits.
         SIUE next travels to Murray State for a three-game series against the future Ohio Valley Conference opponents. The first game is set for Friday in Murray, Ky., at 3 p.m.
                  -siue cougars-

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Players Mentioned

#14 Dustin Brooks: C; 6' 0"; Junior

#35 Michael Hopkins: OF/1B; 6' 2"; Junior

#8 Mitch Matecki: SS/INF; 5' 11"; Freshman

#1 Chilos Norris III: 2B; 5' 9"; Senior

#21 Spencer Patton: P; 6' 2"; Junior

#5 Josh Street: 2B; 5' 9"; Senior

#24 Chase Thrasher: OF; 6' 2"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#14 Dustin Brooks
: 6' 0"; Junior
: C

#35 Michael Hopkins
: 6' 2"; Junior
: OF/1B

#8 Mitch Matecki
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: SS/INF

#1 Chilos Norris III
: 5' 9"; Senior
: 2B

#21 Spencer Patton
: 6' 2"; Junior
: P

#5 Josh Street
: 5' 9"; Senior
: 2B

#24 Chase Thrasher
: 6' 2"; Junior
: OF