March 12, 2009

Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. - South Alabama put all the elements together in a sweep of Saint Louis on Thursday evening in Mobile, Ala. The Billikens (6-16) did not record a hit in a 9-0 loss in the series opener, and fell 8-1 in the nightcap.

Jaguar starting pitcher Beth Pilgrim kept the Saint Louis hitters off balance for the entire game, tossing a complete-game no hitter. The Billikens' lone baserunner was Caitlin Trevillyan, who was hit by a pitch to start the third inning. She made it to second base on a steal but remained stranded as Pilgrim retired the next three batters in order.

USA (12-12-1) struck for three runs in the bottom of the fourth. With two on and two outs, the Jags came through with three consecutive RBI singles to earn a 3-0 lead. In the fifth, South Alabama used an RBI single from Kait Chernomaz and a three-run homer off the bat of Marissa Boyd to extend the margin to seven runs. Tara Donaldson's two-run homer in the sixth ended the game courtesy of the run rule.

The Billikens fell into the same pattern in the nightcap as USA starter Katy Neal retired the first 10 batters she faced. The Jaguars helped her cause with three runs in the second inning. Chernomaz started the rally with a triple down the right-field line and scored on Corey Race's double. Race scored on Danielle Honore's one-out double before Honore crossed on Christin Crocker's triple for the 3-0 edge.

In the fourth, USA loaded the bases on a leadoff walk, a SLU error and a bunt single. Crocker pushed the lead out to five with a two-run double. Then Katie McGuire added a two-run single to make it 7-0. The Bills broke through with a run in the top of the fifth after Katie Johns drew a leadoff walk. Pinch runner Keri O'Keefe stole second base on a Billiken strikeout, and scored when Neal committed a throwing error.

Carolina Mendoza's solo blast in the sixth inning gave South Alabama its sixth and final run of the game. The Billikens' lone hit of the day was a Kelly Flanagan double with two outs in the top of the seventh.

Stacy Gillette (1-7) took the complete-game loss in the nightcap after surrendering seven earned runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out two in six innings.