May 10, 2009
FONTBONNE COMES FROM BEHIND TO CLAIM SLIAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

HIGHLAND, Ill. - Fontbonne University overcame a four run deficit to claim the 2009 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Baseball Tournament Championship. The Griffins, who were the No. 4 seed in the Tournament, defeated No. 2 seeded Maryville University (Mo.) 6-5 to win their first Tournament Championship since 1998.

Maryville took an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, and Fontbonne put one run on the board in the top of the third. The Saints added another run in the bottom of the fifth, but Fontbonne answered with four runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 5-5. The Griffins took advantage of two Maryville errors, while Jason Nikolaisen and Josh Kraemer both hit RBI doubles to help their squad battle back.

A two-out, RBI double by Cesar Tovar in the top of the eighth gave Fontbonne the go ahead run, and they were able to hold off the Saints in the final two innings for the victory.

Tovar and Kraemer both finished with a team-high two hits and one RBI, while Nikolaisen and Dan Horn were both 1-for-5 at the plate with one RBI a piece. Fontbonne's Josh Burlison and Jared Richardson also added one hit each, while Richardson had a game-high two runs scored.

The Saints collected 16 hits at the plate and were led by Chris Stenzel and Mitch Seward, who both went 3-for-5. Jared Mills, Adam Boyer and Dustin Esker all added two hits a piece, while all three and Seward each tallied one RBI.

On the mound, Fontbonne's Sean Wiley pitched 7.1 innings in relief to record the victory. He allowed 11 hits, no walks and gave up only one run, while striking out four batters. He was also named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player. David Willey started the game for the Griffins on the mound and gave up five hits, four runs and two walks in 1.2 innings of work.

Maryville's Greg Schwartz started and went 6.0 innings on the mound. He recorded four strikeouts and allowed four hits, three runs (none earned) and one walk. Eric Gruenewald pitched 3.0 innings in relief and gave up four hits, three runs (one earned), no walks and struck out three batters.

Joining Wiley on the All-Tournament Team were teammates Horn, Tovar and Jack Grover. Maryville's Stenzel, Mills and Robert Huckstep all earned the honor along with Webster's Nathan Shelton and John DuHadway and Greenville's Brian Stoff.

Fontbonne will now advance to the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament. Regional seedings will be announced on Monday, May 11.