Feb. 20, 2009

Box Score

TULSA, Okla. - South Dakota State snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 7-6 win over Saint Louis in the opening game of the Tulsa Select Festival in Tulsa, Okla. Friday afternoon. In the Billikens' (1-6) second game of the day, the pitching staff struggled against a hot-hitting Creighton club (5-2) that captured a five-inning 18-5 victory to hand SLU its sixth straight loss.

SLU opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the second. Katie Johns doubled to right field to put both players in scoring position. The Billikens' first run crossed on a wild pitch before Caitlin Trevillyan's infield singled plated Johns for the two-run edge.

But the lead was short-lived as the Jackrabbits (2-9) loaded the bases on three straight singles in the bottom of the third. The initial SDSU run came on a wild pitch prior to Ashley Durazo's two-run double to right center, which game the Jackrabbits the lead. SLU starter Kelcie Matesa issued consecutive walks to load the bases, but then fanned the next two hitters. Before she could escape the inning, Morgan McCabe came up with a two-run single to right field to make it 5-2.

The Bills got one run back in the fourth after Johns started the frame with a single and both runners were safe on Trevillyan's fielder's choice. Rachel O'Connell's sacrifice bunt put both players in scoring position, but only Johns managed to score in the inning when Kristin Nicoletti drove a double into the left center field gap. South Dakota State strung together three straight hits to put a run of its own on the board in the bottom half of the inning for a 6-3 margin.

Back-to-back hits to start the sixth, including an RBI triple from Nicki Jost knocked a single through the left side to plate Dockins and trim the margin to one. Rachel Faletto reached on a walk before she and Jost pulled off a double steal, during which time Jost scored and knotted the game at 6-6 on an errant throw by the catcher.

Another RBI single from Durazo in the bottom of the sixth put the Jackrabbits ahead to stay. The Billikens had the tying run on third base with two outs in the top of the seventh but could not come up with the necessary run to force the bottom of the seventh and extra innings. It also did not help that Saint Louis left 12 runners stranded on the base paths.

Johns and Nicoletti led the SLU offense with three hits apiece, while Dockins and Jost each added two hits and an RBI. Matesa gave up six runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out six in the first three innings. Reliever Erin Kelly (1-1), who took the loss, struck out six and scattered three hits for one run in the final three frames.

Renae Sinkler's RBI triple in the first inning gave Creighton the early lead in the nightcap. The Bluejays tacked on five more runs in the second inning on four hits and two walks to go up by six. Jost got SLU's offense started with a leadoff single in the bottom of the second. She stole second base on a Billiken strikeout and moved to third on a ground out before scoring on an illegal pitch to put SLU on the board.

However, the hits kept coming from Creighton as it added a single run in the third and 11 more in the fourth to go up 18-1. The `Jays' run in the third came courtesy of a Billiken error and a two-out RBI single from Cassidy Nee. Saint Louis used three pitchers in the fourth and had a difficult time coming up with outs. The staff allowed six hits, including a grand slam and a two-run homer, and three walks while hitting two batters.

The Bills cut into the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Brittney Schmidt drove in a run with a single to left field. Saint Louis scored two more in the fifth. With one out, Rachel Heet drew a walk and advanced to second on Jost's infield single. Cejka's single to right field brought in both runs to make it 18-5, which held for the final score.

Starter Stacy Gillette (0-2) suffered the loss after surrendering 10 runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out five in 4-2/3 innings. Offensively, Johns and Jost each collected a team-high two hits, while Cejka led the club with two RBIs.

Due to projected inclement weather in the Tulsa area on Saturday, Saint Louis' game against the Golden Hurricane has been moved to 4 p.m. The Billikens' tilt against Louisiana-Monroe on Sunday is slated for 9:30 a.m.