ST. LOUIS – A Tim Dickinson sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth brought home Alex Kelsey with what proved to be the winning run as the Saint Joseph's baseball team topped Saint Louis, 5-4, at the Billiken Sports Center on a windy Friday afternoon in the conference opener for both teams.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Louis (8-9 overall, 0-1 Atlantic 10) opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth on a single by Riley Iffrig and a fielder's choice by Hank Gomric.
 
• Saint Joseph's (6-10 overall, 1-0 Atlantic 10) answered in the top of the fifth.  Kelsey, Carson Applegate, and Dickinson drew consecutive one-out walks to load the bases and chase starter Owen Kelly.  Charlie Weber came out of the bullpen for the Billikens and was greeted by an Owen Petrich grand slam through the gusting winds blowing in from left field to put the Hawks on top, 4-2.
 
• The Billikens got one back in the sixth without the benefit of a hit, as four walks – three in a row coming with two outs – forced in a run.
 
• It was the same story in the seventh as a hit batter and three walks brought in the tying run, this time with nobody out.  However, a fly ball to left was secured by Sam Meyer, whose throw home to Aidan Duda was on the money to double up the runner and keep the game tied before the Hawks escaped the inning without further injury.
 
• Kelsey then led off the ninth with a triple; two batters later, Dickinson hit sacrifice fly to bring him home and give the Hawks a 5-4 lead.
 
• Luke Parise then came out for his second inning of work and, after a one-out single, induced his second double play grounder in as many innings to end the game.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Parise earned the win with two shutout innings of work, while Chase Minor allowed a run on one hit in an inning and two-thirds to take the loss.
 
• Neither starter figured into the decision; Frank Ciccone held the Billikens to three runs – two of them earned – on four hits in five and two-thirds innings, while Kelly allowed three runs on two hits and five walks in four and a third.
 
• Duda was 3-for-3 and was hit by a pitch on the day, while Kelsey was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
 
• The Hawks turned five double plays – including one in each of the final three innings – which matches the most by one team in a Division I game this season.
 
UP NEXT
The second game of the weekend series is set for Saturday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.