March 9, 2003

Final Stats

Houston, Texas - The Saint Louis University softball team, after having its first 15 games cancelled due to weather, finally began the 2003 season by dropping a doubleheader at Houston on Sunday. The Cougars took game one 2-1 in eight innings and game two by a 9-0 count.

In game one, Houston hit a home run in the bottom of the eighth to tally the win in extra innings. The Billikens jumped on top in the first inning. Melissa Quist drew a walk and stole second. Nicole Bohnenstiehl doubled to right to put the Billikens up 1-0. Bohnenstiehl set down the first 13 UH batters she faced, but Jennilee Skender broke up the perfect game with a solo home run in the fifth to tie the game at 1-1. In the seventh, Bohnensiehl reached second with a hit and advanced on a sac bunt. But she was stranded there as the game moved into the eighth. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Michelle Keith launched a 1-0 pitch over the leftfield wall as UH escaped with the win. The game saw just five hits in a pitchers duel. UH's Jamie Falco allowed only two hits, both to Bohnenstiehl, while Nicole surrendered just three hits.

The second game saw UH jump out to an early lead and ease to the 9-0 win. The Cougars scored the only run they would need in the first. The Billikens' Ashlee Heady reached second base in the second and stole third, but was forced at home. UH tacked on a run in the second and sealed the win with three in the fourth inning and four in the fifth.

The Billikens are 0-2 on the season and 0-2 in Conference USA. Houston improves to 17-10 and remains perfect in C-USA at 5-0. The teams finish the series with a 7 p.m. game on Monday.