March 20, 2007

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

ST. LOUIS ¬- After withstanding a 45-minute rain delay at the start, No. 7 Northwestern topped Saint Louis in both games of a doubleheader at The Billiken Sports Center on Tuesday. The Billikens fell victim to staunch pitching and a potent offense in game one as the `Cats prevailed 11-1. SLU hung tough in the nightcap, thanks in part to senior Jill Pursell's three-run home run and a strong outing from junior pitcher Lorena Floccari, before falling 5-3 in the second game.

The loss in game one snapped a season-high four-game winning streak and drops the Billikens to 12-15 on the season. Northwestern, which came into Tuesday's action having won four-straight games via the eight-run rule, improves to 21-5 with the victories.

The Wildcats scored early and often in game one, opening up a 5-0 lead through two innings. After a two-run first inning, the big blow came courtesy of a three-run homer from NU's Tammy Williams in the second stanza. She sent an Ashley Levan pitch to straight-away centerfield that hit off the top of the fence and over for a 5-0 Wildcat advantage.

SLU manufactured its only run in the contest in the third inning. Freshman Nicki Jost led off the inning with a walk, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. She stole third, then scored on a passed ball to cut the Wildcats' lead to 5-1.

NU scored twice more in the fourth before the flood gates opened in the seventh. The Wildcats took advantage of a Billiken error to plate four unearned runs in the inning en route to the 11-1 victory.

Pursell and Jost were the only Bills to manage a hit off of NU All-American pitcher Eileen Canney. She went all seven innings, allowing just the two hits while striking out 12. Levan was tagged with the loss for the Bills after allowing six runs on six hits.

The Billikens managed to give Northwestern, last season's College World Series runner-up, a bit of a scare in the nightcap. The game was scoreless until the top of the third when Nicole Pauly hit a two-run homer off of SLU starter Lorena Floccari.

Northwestern proceeded to bang out four hits and score three times in the fifth inning to stake a 5-0 lead before the Billiken bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth.

Senior Jenna Renner led of the inning by reaching on an error, then advanced to second after Rachel O'Connell drew a walk. Both runners trotted home when Pursell scorched a Lauren Delaney pitch over the right centerfield fence, cutting SLU's deficit to just 5-3. Sophomore Rachel Heet and Jost then followed with singles, but were stranded as Delaney proceeded to strike out the side to preserve the 5-3 lead.

The Billikens threatened in the bottom of the seventh after freshman Brittany Schmidt led off with a double, but Delaney again came through in the clutch and struck out the side. In all, Delaney posted 16 Ks as she moves to 11-0 for Northwestern.

Floccari pitched well for SLU, allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out seven in seven innings of work.

Pursell's home run was her team-leading third of the season, and the accompanying three RBIs gives her 14 on the year, tying her with senior Christy Ernst for the team lead in that category.

Following a day off on Wednesday, Saint Louis travels to Terre Haute, Ind., for a Thursday doubleheader with Indiana State beginning at 2 p.m. The Billikens open Atlantic 10 Conference play on Saturday when Dayton comes to The Billikens Sports Center for a noon doubleheader.

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