March 10, 2007
Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Senior Allison Appenfeller hit her first-career home run to help Saint Louis softball to a 5-1 victory over Alabama State on Saturday in the opening game of the Samford Bulldog Bash. Junior pitcher Ashley Levan was sharp again in the circle, working six innings and allowing one run on just four hits en route to her second-straight win. She also matched a season-high with nine strikeouts.
After ASU pushed a run across in the top of the first, SLU's offense went to work and answered in the bottom of the first. Jill Pursell led off with a single, then circled the bases when Nicki Jost scorched a double down the left field line.
The Billikens took the lead for good in the bottom of the second. Appenfeller singled, then was pinch-ran for by Brittney Schmidt. Pursell doubled, and Schmidt came around to score on the play thanks to a defensive miscue by the ASU third baseman.
Appenfeller's solo home run in the fourth made it 3-1 Billikens. With one out, she sent an ASU pitch over the right center field fence for the first home run of her career.
The Bills added insurance runs in the fifth. Annie Dillinger, who reached on a single, and Kinsley Kelley, who reached on a walk, both trotted home after a throwing error by the catcher during a double steal. The unearned runs came courtesy of two errors in the frame.
Alabama State (6-8), which was doomed by a total of five errors, pushed its lone run across in the top of the first after two doubles. But Levan settled down after that to shutout the Lady Hornets while allowing just two more hits over the next five innings. Freshman Stacy Gillette came in to pitch the seventh and got two groundouts and a strikeout to preserve the 5-1 victory.
Pursell went 3-for-4 at the dish for her second three-hit game of the season. She also extends her hitting streak to eight games. Dillinger and Appenfeller each had two hits as the Billikens mustered 10 hits in the affair.
SLU, which improves to 5-9, continues play in the Bulldog Bash this afternoon against host Samford. First pitch at Bulldog Field is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
