April 15, 2009

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - After setting a new program standard with 17 hits in game two at Eastern Illinois on Tuesday, the Saint Louis offense managed only 11 hits total in a doubleheader sweep at non-conference rival Southeast Missouri State (15-19) on Wednesday evening. The Billikens (16-24) dropped game one 5-4 in eight innings, and fell behind early in game two en route to a 9-5 defeat.

Neither team was able to get anything going offensively in game one until the fourth inning. In the bottom of the frame, SEMO's Shelby Stein doubled down the left-field line and advanced to third on an Alex Ramirez single. Stein crossed a fielder's choice to give her team the 1-0 edge. The Redhawks went on to increase their lead to two runs in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, SLU starter Kelcie Matesa issued a walk to Tiffany Blanco, who then stole second base. Renee Kertz's plated Blanco with a single through the right side.

SLU's bats finally came alive in the sixth after Kristin Nicoletti hit a single to left field. Rachel O'Connell then reached on an error, which allowed Dockins to score and trim the lead to one. Rachel Heet loaded the bases by reaching safely on a fielder's choice before Nicki Jost's ground out to third knotted the game at 2-2. SEMO starter Giana Zimmerman fanned the next batter for the second out but Erin Cejka then hit a two-run single to give the Bills the 4-2 advantage.

Saint Louis held the Redhawks at bay until the bottom of the seventh when Elise Sperakos sparked a rally with a leadoff single down the right-field line. The ensuing batter reached on a fielder's choice and both runners were safe due to a Billiken error. SLU forced Sperakos out at third on a fielder's choice for the first out before both remaining base runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Kertz drove a two-run single through the right side to tie the game at 4-4.

With the international tiebreaker in effect in the eighth, Heet put the winning run on third base with a sacrifice bunt. But Zimmerman struck out the next two batters to end the threat. After SEMO put the go-ahead run on third base with a sacrifice bunt, Lauren Bradley doubled down the left-field line to give her team the victory.

Matesa (5-8) was saddled with the loss after scattering seven hits and two walks for five runs (three earned) in 7-1/3 innings pitched while tying her season high with eight strikeouts. Cejka powered the offense with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate to go with her team-high two RBIs.

Heet provided the Billikens with the early lead in the nightcap after hitting a solo home run to right field with two outs. The run held up until the bottom of the second when the Redhawks put together three straight singles to push a run across, tying the game at 1-1. Nicoletti kicked off the third with a single to right field and then took second on a wild pitch. O'Connell followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners before SEMO turned a double play, keeping Nicoletti at third with two outs. Jost's single to center field put SLU back on top 2-1.

But the Redhawks earned a lead it would not relinquish for the rest of the game in the bottom of the third. They tapped SLU starter Stacy Gillette and reliever Erin Kelly for four runs on four hits and two Billiken errors before Emma DeKalb enter the game with no outs on the board. DeKalb issued a bases-loaded walk before retiring the next three batters in order to end the frame with SEMO up 6-2.

SLU was able to manufacture a run in the fourth to trim the deficit to three. Keri O'Keefe drew a walk to give the Bills two base runners. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball and pinch runner Brittney Schmidt scored on Dockins' ground out to make it 6-3. A walk, two ground out and a Sperakos RBI double pushed the margin back out to four runs in the bottom of the inning.

SEMO used a single, a walk and a Nicole Troncoso RBI single to build on its lead in fifth before Saint Louis made a small comeback in the sixth. With two outs and two on due to a walk and a Redhawk error, Dockins came through with a two-run double to left center to make it 8-5. But the Billikens would get no closer and Sperakos hit another RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to account for the final score.

Gillette (5-11) suffered the loss, allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits and one strikeout in the first two innings. Kelly gave up a hit and a walk in less than a 1/3 of an inning, while DeKalb surrendered three runs on four walks and three hits with three strikeouts in three innings. Matesa fanned three and allowed one hit in the final inning. O'Connell and Jost each had two hits to lead the SLU offense, while Dockins tied for game-high honors with three RBIs.