April 27, 2007

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Junior hurler Ashley Levan struck out 13 and sophomore Annie Dillinger drove in a pair of runs to lift Saint Louis to a 3-1 victory over Temple in a crucial Atlantic 10 Conference matchup Friday night. With the win, the Billikens jump over Temple in the A-10 standing for third and improve to 23-29 overall, 8-6 in the A-10. Temple falls to 14-17 and 7-6 in the A-10.

After a scoresess first three innings, the Billikens broke through in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Rachel Heet led off with a walk. With one down, senior Christy Ernst grounded a ball to Temple starter Brianna Dairy, but she threw the ball into center field, which allowed Heet to advance to third. Freshman Shana Richard then reached on an error to load the bases.

With still only one down, sophomore Annie Dillinger broke the scoreless tie when she squeezed home Heet to give the Billikens a 1-0 lead. Freshman Rachel O'Connell then drove home Ernst via a fiedler's choice after whistling a ball deep in the hole at shortstop. The Billikens plated the pair of runs despite not getting a hit in the inning.

In the top of the fifth, Temple put together a two-out rally to cut its deficit in half. Natalie Wagner singled, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Jessica Rohn then singled up the middle to plate Wagner, unearned, to pull the Owls within one at 2-1.

The Billikens tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth. With two down, Richard reached on a single, then was pinch ran for by Jess Burns. Dillinger then blasted a towering shot to center, which fell at the bottom of the fence for an RBI triple.

Levan went the distance, allowing just six hits and one walk to go with her 13 strikeouts. Richard's two hits and Dillinger's triple accounted for SLU's hits.

The two teams are back at it tomorrow at The Billiken Sports Center. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

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