March 24, 2001

Box Score

St. Louis - Senior Meredith Henry blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to hand the Saint Louis University Billiken softball team a thrilling 4-3 victory over South Florida at The Billiken Sports Center. South Florida earned a split of the doubleheader with an 8-0 decision in game two. The games were the Conference USA openers for both squads.

The Bulls jumped out to a 1-0 on a solo homer by Priscilla Smith in the third inning. Shelly Riker followed with a single, two stolen bases and scored on a fielder's choice to make it 2-0. USF pushed across another run on a single by Renee Oursler and an RBI double by Cindy Turek. The Billikens scored a run in the sixth when Erin Jeffrey reached on an error and the Billikens followed with two singles, including an RBI single by Erin Jeffrey tied the game with an RBI single. The score was still tied 3-3 and with none out, but the Billikens could not push across the game-winning run. Bohnenstiehl and Jamie Peterka, who came on in relief of Jessi Kowal, were outstanding and did not allow a hit in the next three innings. Henry, who is SLU's all-time home run leader, launched a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for the 4-3 victory. The home run was the first ever hit by a Saint Louis player at the two-year old Billiken Sports Center. Bohnenstiehl pitched all 11 innings for the Bills to pick up her 10th victory of the year and struck out 12.

In the second game, the Bulls took advantage of five SLU errors and posted an 8-0 victory. Stephanie Roberts reached on an error and later scored on an RBI grounder by Courtney Lewellen. USF added two runs in the second on three hits, including two doubles, capped by Stephanie Roberts' single. The Bulls made it 4-0 with a single run in the fourth and tacked on two runs in the fifth inning. Oursler capped the offensive explosion with a two-run home run in the sixth. The Bulls outhit the Billikens 13 to 2 in the second game. Peterka picked up the victory for USF with six innings of work.

After just one home run was hit in the 22 games played at The Billiken Sports Center, three home runs were hit today on a windy and blustery afternoon in St. Louis.

The Billikens are now 14-10 overall, 1-1 in Conference USA. South Florida is 27-18, 1-1 this year. The teams finish up the three-game set with one game tomorrow at 1 p.m. at The Billiken Sports Center.