March 20, 2003

Final Stats

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University softball swept a doubleheader from Austin Peay with scores of 5-2 and 2-1 this afternoon at The Billiken Sports Center. Freshman shortstop Ashlee Heady had the hot bat for the Billikens (3-5), going 4-for-6 in the two games and defensively applied the tag that ended the Lady Govs' seventh-inning rally in game two.

In game one, the Billikens jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a two-out double from senior Adrie Bogaars, which plated junior Melissa Quist and senior Beth Yagge. A rain delay in the top of the second stalled the Billikens' momentum, and the Lady Govs tied it up in the top of the fourth. After retiring the first two batter with ease, Billiken starter Nicole Bohnenstiehl threw two wild pitches and walked a batter to get things going for APSU. Christina Garza drove a double to left to knot the score at 2-2.

SLU's offense re-emerged in the fifth beginning with Yagge's one-out single followed by Bogaars' two-out walk. Heady then cleared the bases with a ringing triple to center field. Junior Kalee Reichert picked up Heady with a single to the right side to give the Bills a comfortable 5-2 edge. With the cushion, Bohnenstiehl rolled to her second victory of the season.

With the weather becoming more cooperative, although still damp, game two generated its drama on the field. SLU again struck first as sophomore Adrienne May bunted her way on and moved all the way around to third on a sacrifice by Cori Bittick. The Billikens used the speedy Quist, who drew a walk, to attempt the double steal. When the catcher's throw went down to second, May raced for home to give the Bills a 1-0 edge.

Meanwhile, pitcher Kristin Rossi was cruising in the circle for the Bills, holding APSU to just two hits over the first five innings. The Lady Govs got a leadoff double from Tina Nickey to open the sixth. She moved to third on a sacrifice, but with two outs in the inning, Rossi looked to still be in good shape. The senior's control began to waiver in a walk to Brianna Venable and ended up costing her the lead when Nickey scored on a wild pitch to knot the score.

In the home half of the sixth, junior Kerri Higgins got things started with a one-out walk and moved to second on Yagge's single down the left field line. APSU starter Holly Ricketts loaded the bases when she hit Bogaars with a pitch. Bohnenstiehl drove a shot to the shortstop with just enough on it to get Higgins home for the go-ahead run. Ricketts gave way to Kari Gore in the circle, and the Billikens again loaded the bases with a two-out single from Heady. Gore allowed no more contact, though, and retired the side with no further damage.

Rossi began to live dangerously again in the top of the seventh, falling behind Amy Hale before retiring her on a ground ball. Jennifer Simpkins earned a walk to put the tying run on, but Rossi recovered to get Christina Garza to pop up and record the second out. The Billiken pitcher again fell behind pinch hitter Jessica Warden, but was saved by Bogaars behind the plate to gunned down Simpkins attempting to steal.

The Billikens are back in action on Sat., Mar. 22, at Conference USA rival Charlotte for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.