March 7, 2009

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - - A solo home run in the sixth inning broke a scoreless tie and helped Southeast Missouri State claim a 1-0 victory over Saint Louis in the opening game of the All-Missouri Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament in Springfield, Mo. on Saturday morning. In the nightcap, the Billikens (4-10) snapped a four-game skid with a 7-1 win over UMKC.

Both teams had scoring opportunities early in the first game. SEMO had runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the second but SLU starter Stacy Gillette induced a fly out to escape the jam. In the third, the Billikens threw out a runner at the plate after the first two Redhawk batters each doubled. SLU's best chance at putting a run on the board came in the fifth when Katie Johns was hit by a pitch with one out. Brittany Schmidt entered as a pinch runner and immediately stole second base. However, Schmidt was thrown out at the plate on Kelly Flanagan's single to center field.

The Redhawks threatened again in the bottom of the fifth after their first two hitters reached on a single and a Saint Louis error. Both runners got into scoring position on a ground out. But again SEMO failed to score as the ensuing batter flew out to center fielder Caitlin Trevillyan, who then threw out the runner at home on the sacrifice attempt. One inning later, the Redhawks broke through with the game's lone run on a Giana Zimmerman home run down the left-field line.

Gillette (1-4) struck out two, walked one and surrendered seven hits in the loss. Rachel O'Connell and Flanagan each singled for the Bills.

Saint Louis got on the board in the bottom of the first against UMKC. Nicki Jost followed with a double down the left-field line. UMKC knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the third after Ann Sokolik hit an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Ashley Whiteside's infield single gave the Kangaroos runners on the corners. Whiteside stole second and eventually scored on a fielder's choice.

The Billikens responded with three runs in the bottom of the third. Schmidt walked and Kristin Nicoletti singled before UMKC recorded their first out on a fielder's choice. Jost broke the stalemate with an RBI single to right field. Jones scored when the catcher's throw to second to catch Jost stealing sailed into the outfield. Johns drew a two-out walk and Flanagan singled to load the bases before Trevillyan smacked an RBI single to left field for the 4-1 lead.

SLU extended its lead to four runs by successfully executing the double steal in the fourth. A UMKC error on a sacrifice bunt helped the Bills add a sixth run in the fifth inning, and another RBI single from Jost in the sixth made it 7-1.

Jost and Nicoletti each went 3-for-4 to pace the offense while Jost added a game-high three RBIs and Trevillyan knocked in two runs. Erin Kelly (3-2) gave up four hits and a walk while fanning two in 5-1/3 innings. Kelcie Matesa struck out three and did not allow a hit in 1-2/3 innings of relief.