Feb. 24, 2008
Box Score
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Rachel Heet's school-record tying four hits helped Saint Louis down Alcorn State 6-4 in the Billiken softball team's third game at the Clarion Inn-Arkansas Invitational on Sunday. But SLU's defense fell apart in the nightcap and a hot-hitting Arkansas team posted 16 base hits in an 18-3 victory.
Leadoff hitter Annie Dillinger kick-started the Billiken offense with a solo home run over the left field wall in the top of the first inning to give SLU a 1-0 advantage. The sixth homer of Dillinger's career, and her first of the season, moved her into a tie for seventh place on the Bills' career list. Heet followed with a single to center field to increase her team-best hitting streak to seven games. She quickly stole second and third base but was stranded when the following batters went down in order.
Alcorn State (6-10) came out aggressive, and responded with two straight singles to put runners on the corners with no outs in the bottom of the first. SLU starter Stacy Gillette fanned the next batter before Hanako Kilburn singled to right field to knot the score at 1-1. A Billiken fielding error gave the Lady Braves the 2-1 lead.
Heet drove in the tying run in the top of the third. Dillinger drew a one-out walk and stole second just before Heet plated her with a triple to left center to tie things up at 2-2. But the lead was short-lived as ASU put together back-to-back doubles to center field to regain the one-run edge, chasing Gillette from the game. She gave up six hits and three runs in two innings of action while striking out three.
Saint Louis (3-4) jumped out in front with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Pinch hitter Jenna Polacek drew a leadoff walk to start the rally. Dillinger reached on a fielder's choice and Heet moved her to second with her third hit of the contest, a single through the right side. Then Nicki Jost added a single to left field to load the bases for pinch hitter Shana Richard, who drew a walk to plate the tying run and keep the bases full. Katie Johns followed Richard with a sacrifice fly to left field to put the Bills up 4-3.
Heet tied the school record with her fourth hit of the contest, a double down the left-field line to start the seventh inning. Jost followed with a double to the same location to bring Heet home for SLU's fifth run of the game. Jost stole third base and scored on Tori Holland's sacrifice fly to deep right center to make it 6-3 Billikens.
The Lady Braves cut the margin to two with a run in bottom of the seventh but that was as close as they would get. Adrianna Harrington reached on a one-out double and Kilburn followed with a walk before Heather Pecore singled to left field to plate the run.
Erin Kelly (3-0) picked up the win in relief. She struck out a season-high eight, walked three and allowed one run on two hits in the final five innings. Offensively, Heet led the squad with four hits while Jost and Johns each tallied a pair. Dillinger scored a season-high three runs while Heet scored twice and Jost once. SLU got an RBI from each of its first five hitters in the lineup in addition to pinch hitter Richard.
There was also a home run in the first inning of the Bills' second game but this time it came from their opponent, tournament host Arkansas (15-2). With a runner on second following a leadoff single and a stolen base, Miranda Dixon ripped a one-out home run over the wall in center field to put the Lady Backs up 2-0. Arkansas added a run in the second, two in the third and 13 in the fourth for an 18-run lead.
Caitlin Trevillyan posted SLU's first hit of the game, a double to the gap in right center, to start the bottom of the third. With two outs, Dillinger singled to the pitcher to put runners on the corners but both Billikens were stranded when Dixon induced an outfield fly out to escape the frame.
In the bottom of the fifth, Saint Louis finally got on the board. Polacek drew a two-out walk and moved to second on a Heet single to left field. The base-knock increased Heet's team-best hitting streak to eight games. Kristin Nicoletti followed with an infield single to load the bases before Polacek scored on a passed ball. Then Johns plated two runs on a single to center field to make it 18-3, which was the final margin.
Lorena Floccari (0-2) took the loss in the nightcap. She worked the first three innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits while fanning three and walking none.
Saint Louis will play its first mid-week game of the season on Wednesday when it travels to Columbia, Mo., to take on the Missouri Tigers in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.
