April 8, 2000

Box Score

St. Louis - The Saint Louis University softball team won its first-ever Conference USA game by splitting the second game of a doubleheader versus UNC Charlotte on Saturday. The 49ers took game 3-1, but the Billikens bounced back to earn a split with a 4-3 decision in the second game. The games were the first home league games for the Billikens at The Billiken Sports Center.

In game one, took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Erin Jeffrey singled to center and proceeded to steal second. Jeffrey advanced to third on Beth Puttcamp's ground out and scored on Beth Yagge's RBI single.

It appeared that the one run might be enough as SLU starter Kristin Rossi held UNCC without a hit for the first four innings. The visitors took advantage of two SLU errors to plate a run without a hit to tie the game. Susan Coyle led off the sixth inning with UNC Charlotte's first hit of the game. Jennifer Herzig later reached on an error and Nikki Van Dam doubled to drive in the game-winning runs. Rossi went the distance and allowed only three unearned runs while striking out five. Beth Yagge had two hits for the Bills in the first game.

Game two saw the Bills grab the early lead before UNCC tied the game to set up late game drama. Erin Jeffrey tripled to begin the game for SLU and scored on Beth Puttcamp's RBI single. The Billikens tacked on another run in the second when Meredith Henry drew and walk and moved to second on Katie Duffin's sac bunt. Janet Venorsky hit a grounder to third, but the ball was thrown to right field and Henry came around to score to put the Bills ahead 2-0. UNCC rallied to tie the game in the fifth, using two hits, a wild pitch and two errors by SLU's defense.

However, SLU answered with two in the bottom of the fifth. Erin Jeffrey singled to second and stole her second base of the afternoon. Beth Yagge singled to left and Jeffrey moved up to third. Yagge advanced all the way to third on a wild pitch and Jeffrey scored. Yagge later scored on the second wild pitch of the inning to give SLU a 4-2 margin. UNC Charlotte closed to 4-3 when Sara Swilling led off the sixth with a double and scored on a fielder's choice by Kiley Scott.

The Bills loaded the bases with one out in the seventh and appeared to add insurance runs when Erin Jeffrey drilled a shot down the first base line, but UNCC first baseman Stephanie Dunlap made a scintillating catch and doubled off Jennifer Messmer. Lindsey Houghton began the top of the seventh with a single, but Jennifer Riva retired three-straight batters to end the threat and pick up her third victory of the season and SLU's first-ever C-USA win.Jeffrey and Puttcamp paced the SLU offense with two hits.

The Billikens move to 7-25, 1-4 in C-USA on the season and UNC Charlotte sees its record at 10-30, 1-7 in C-USA. The teams play a single game on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. at The Billiken Sports Center.