March 22, 2003

Final Stats

Charlotte, N.C. - The Saint Louis University softball team ran its winning streak to five in sweeping a Conference USA doubleheader at Charlotte on Saturday. The Billikens won game one 9-1 in five innings then claimed game two in a 9-6 slugfest. Senior pitcher Nicole Bohnenstiehl earned the win to tie the SLU record for career pitching wins with 30.

In the first game, the Billikens jumped on top of the 49ers with four runs in the first and tallied a season-high nine runs. Bohnenstiehl had two doubles, drove in three and scored three times to pace the Billiken offense. Melissa Quist added two hits and also scored twice. Six different Billikens had hits and five scored at least one run. Bohnenstiehl gave up just two hits, one run and struck out eight while walking none. The game was the first time in C-USA play the Billikens have won a game in just five innings.

The second game saw the Billikens run out to a big lead and hold off a late Charloltte charge for the sweep of the doubleheader. Once again, the Billikens started quickly by scoring the first four runs of the game in the top of the first. After the 49ers halved the margin, the Billikens tacked on five runs in the fifth. Leading 9-2, the 49ers trimmed the lead with a run in the fifth, then pushed across two more runs in the bottom of the seventh. However, Nicole Bohnenstiehl preserved the win for starter Kristin Rossi by getting the final two outs of the game. The Billikens had nine players each score one run and five players had two hits apiece as the Bills pounded out 13 hits in the game. Kristin Rossi struckout a season-high seven to earn her second win of the year.

The Billikens even their record at 5-5 overall and are 2-3 in Conference USA play. Charlotte dips to 12-13 overall, 3-4 in C-USA play. The Billikens and 49ers finish up the three-game series on Sunday with one game.