SAINT LOUIS – [CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET] After a thrilling season, Saint Louis University Baseball will now set its sights on the Atlantic 10 Championship Tournament after completing the regular season a 19-4 mark in conference play and regular season title.
The Billikens are primed for the postseason as four players will enter with averages over .300. Parker Sniatynski and Cole Dubet, both of whom have been close to the .300 mark all season, finished the last two games of the year strong and eclipsed the mark in their final regular season game.
Nick Reeser has been a consistent force for Saint Louis and finishes the year with a .328 average. Jake Garella, however, may be the story in the Atlantic 10 as the breakout underclassman of the year. The sophomore finished with a .364 average and 76 hits. Both represent a big part of the middle of the order for the Billikens.
Kyle Fletcher who came on in the last month of the season has seen the ball exceptionally well and has provided several key hits. The Wentzville, Mo., native finished the regular season with a .303 average.
On the mound, while several teams will be deep, the Billikens will have three big arms ready to start. Miller Hogan, Jackson Wark and Drew Reveno all enter play on Thursday with nine wins. Saint Louis is the only team in the nation that features three starters with nine or more wins.
The Billikens will need big performances from their relievers and senior Luke Sommerfeld will be a key piece. The new Saint Louis graduate, though he still has a year of eligibility remaining, has been nearly unhittable at times and can take over a game in big situations. He finished with a 2.43 ERA and two saves.
Connor Lehmann has been exceptional out of the bullpen as well, but may get a start if the need arises. Also a senior with a year of eligibility remaining, Lehmann has an ERA just over 3.00 and will be one of the names that gets called in critical situations.
The Billikens will begin their journey through the A-10 gauntlet on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. CDT as they face the winner of Richmond and Davidson. While the Wildcats handed the Billikens a series loss earlier in May, they will face a very talented pitching staff in the Spiders. Saint Louis has not faced Richmond in 2018, so both potential opponents pose a unique threat.
A win will send Saint Louis to a game on Friday at 11:00 a.m. CDT while a loss will push the Billikens to a second game on Thursday in the evening. The entire bracket is available above and on the Atlantic 10 Championship Central at www.atlantic10.com.
There will be four games on Wednesday and Thursday, including at least one consolation bracket elimination game each day. Friday’s semifinal day has three games, two of which are elimination games. The championship final will be played Saturday at noon, and the if necessary game will take place immediately after the first final, if needed.
Tickets to the championship are $8.00 for adults, $4.00 for students, seniors and youth. An All-Session ticket book is available for $25.00 for adults and $12.00 for students, seniors and youth. Tickets may be purchased at the gate.
