March 18, 2001

Box Score

Rock Hill, S.C. - Sophomore pitcher Nicole Bohnenstiehl threw a perfect game to lead the Saint Louis University Billiken softball team to a 1-0 victory over Appalachian State on Sunday. The righthander set down all 21 batters she faced on six strikeouts, eight fly balls and seven grounders. The perfect game was the first in the hisotry of the Saint Louis softball program. In the final game at the Winthrop Tournament, Mercer rallied for an 8-7 victory.

Bohnenstiehl was magnificent against ASU. She started the game off by striking out the side in the first and never let up from there. ASU kept the Bills off the board until Bohnenstiehl helped generate the only run of the game. She doubled leading off the fourth inning and gave way to pinch runner Cori Bittick. Adrie Bogaars put down a sac bunt and Bittick scored on a passed ball.

Against Mercer, the Billikens led 7-4 going into the top of the seventh but just could not hold the Bears at bay. Erin Jeffrey led the bottom of the first off with a single and Bohnenstiehl later followed with an RBI single. Janet Venorsky laced a double for the second SLU run. Mercer answered with two in the top of the second but Jeffrey scored Meredith Henry with a sac fly as the Billikens took a 3-2 margin. Mercer grabbed the lead with two in the third but Beth Puttcamp scored on a sac bunt to tie the game at 4-4. Beth Yagge doubled in two runs in the fifth and Puttcamp plated Yagge with a single to left. But Mercer came back with five hits in the top of the seventh to snatch the win from the Billikens.

The Billikens are now 10-8 on the season. On Tuesday afternoon, the Billikens open the home portion of the 2001 schedule when they host Tennessee-Martin for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. at The Billiken Sports Center.