April 17, 2008

Game One

Game Two

ST. LOUIS - A pitcher's duel in Saint Louis' opening softball game against Southeast Missouri State went awry in the seventh inning resulting in a 6-0 loss for the Billikens on Thursday afternoon at the Billiken Sports Center. SLU found its offense in game two but errors proved costly as it dropped a 2-1 decision to fall to 16-28-1 overall.

With a runner on first and two down in the top of the fifth, Megan McDonald singled through the left side to put a pair of Redhawks on the base paths in the opening game. Then Stacia Dopudja's RBI single to left field helped SEMO get the only run it would need to put away the Billikens.

SLU had just one base runner, courtesy of a Redhawk error, prior to Keri O'Keefe's single with one out in the bottom of the sixth. However, the Bills left O'Keefe stranded at second following a pair of groundouts.

SEMO (21-21) loaded the bases on a hit batter, a SLU error and a single to start the seventh. Consecutive doubles helped the Redhawks run out to a 5-0 lead. Two groundouts later, Dopudja scored for the six-run advantage.

The Redhawks' Elaine Fisher (16-14) twirled a complete-game one-hitter while fanning six in the opener. SLU starter Stacy Gillette (3-13) was saddled with the loss after striking out three, walking four and giving up six runs (four earned) on five hits.

The Billikens wasted little time getting their first hit in game two as Nicki Jost started the bottom of the first with a single to center field. But much like the opening game when scoring opportunities were available Saint Louis was unable to capitalize until Caitlin Trevillyan's leadoff double paved the way for SLU in the bottom of the fourth. Katie Johns moved her over to third with a sac bunt, and Allison Hopke made good on a squeeze, forcing a sac bunt down the first-base line to plate the go-ahead run.

SEMO scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to go up by one. A leadoff single followed by a one-out double put two Redhawks in scoring position. Then a Billiken error allowed one SEMO runner to score and the other to advance to third. Then a Dopudja single put the Redhawks ahead 2-1, which held for the final score.

Lorena Floccari (4-11) took the complete-game loss, striking out three and walking two while surrendering six hits for two runs. Offensively, the Billikens got six hits from six different players. Fischer earned the win in the nightcap after tossing 2-1/3 innings of one-hit relief while striking out four Billikens.