April 15, 2007
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis dropped both games of a doubleheader to second-place Fordham this afternoon at The Billiken Sports Center. In game one, the Rams broke a 3-3 tie with three runs over the last two innings en route to a 6-3 victory. In game two, Fordham took advantage of seven Billiken errors in a 15-3 win. The losses dip SLU to 21-24 overall and 6-5 in the A-10. The Rams improve to 31-13 overall and 11-1 in the league.
The Rams took the lead in the top of the second after scoring an unearned tally. Allison Storc led off with an infield single. With two outs, Fordham put runners on the corners when a wild third strike allowed Erin Fisher to reach first. An errant throw to first from SLU catcher Nicki Jost allowed Storc to reach third, which ultimately set up the Rams' run in the inning. On the ensuing pitch, Fisher stole second. Jost's throw, which was on line, squeaked past the shortstop allowing Storc to scamper home for the early 1-0 lead.
The Billikens tried to answer in the bottom half of the frame, but was turned down despite a leadoff double from Jost and a walk to Kinsley Kelley.
Fordham tacked on two runs in the top of the third. Stephanie Mott send a liner down the leftfield line, which was quickly snagged by SLU senior Jill Pursell. Mott circled first and was running toward second, and Pursell's on-target throw beat the runner, but Mott slid around the tag for the leadoff double. Allison Twarowski then launched her team-leading sixth home run of the season to give the Rams a 3-0 lead.
SLU answered and tied the score at three all in the bottom of the third. Leading off, Allison Appenfeller ripped her second home run of the year to put the Billikens on the scoreboard. Sophomore Rachel Heet then drew a two-out walk, and Jost made Forham starter Sara Kinney pay. On the next pitch, Jost lifted a towering shot that cleared the leftfield fence for her fourth homer of the year, chasing Kinney from the game in favor of reliever Nicole Ayres. Ayres proceeded to work around a single to senior Christy Ernst to get out of the inning.
After retiring the side over the next two innings, SLU starter Ashley Levan ran into some trouble in the top of the sixth. Storc drew a leadoff walk, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Megan Waldron then unloaded for her third home run of the year, giving the Rams a 5-3 edge. Allison Twarowski scored an insurance run in the seventh after she doubled and came around to score on a Gina Capardi base knock.
Jost and Ernst both had 2-for-3 games at the plate for SLU. Levan allowed four earned runs on five hits and struck out 11 batters in 5 1/3 innings.
In game two, the Billikens jumped on top in the bottom of the first on an RBI from Shana Richard. Pursell ripped a double down the rightfield line, and Richard delivered with a single up the middle. Pursell raced home to give the Billikens' the early 1-0 advantage, and in doing so broke a 20 year old school record. The run was Pursell's 32nd of the season, which eclipses the previous mark of 31 established in 1987 by Dawn Elser.
Fordham responded by plating seven runs in the top of the second on two home runs and two Billiken errors. After Megan Waldron reached on an error, Fisher launched a two-run shot to give Fordham a 2-1 lead. Twarowski and Capardi each drove in runs via singles, and Storc followed with a three-run home run to cap the seven run inning.
Mary Beth Puccio cracked a two-run single in the top of the fourth, and Fisher followed with a two-run home run to make it 11-1 through four. Fordham plated four more in the fifth on a two-run home run from Capardi and RBIs from Puccio and Hansen.
Richard and Jost both drove in runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it wasn't enough as SLU fell 15-3 via the mercy rule.
The Billikens step outside of conference play on Tuesday when they travel to Southeast Missouri State. First pitch of the doubleheader in Cape Girardeau, Mo., is slated for 3 p.m.
