April 22, 2009

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Southern Illinois got two strong outings from its pitching staff and the Saluki offense came through with 20 hits to overpower the Saint Louis softball team 7-1 and 5-0 in a non-conference doubleheader at The Billiken Sports Center on Wednesday afternoon.

Saint Louis (18-26) was the first team to threaten in game one. The Bills got a one-out single from Erin Cejka in the bottom of the second before SIU starter Katie McNamara hit the next two batters to load the bases. But SLU wasn't able to push across a run as the Salukis forced out a runner at home on a fielder's choice and McNamara struck out the ensuing batter to end the inning.

Southern Illinois (28-10) earned a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth after Chelsea Held reached on a leadoff double to left center. Haley Gorman put down a bunt for a single to give the Salukis runners on the corners. Then Alicia Garza plated with Held with a single to deep right field for the slim edge. SIU increased its lead to 4-0 in the top of the fifth when Held hit a three-run homer to left field.

SIU added to its run total in the top of the seventh. With one out, Allie Hanson doubled to right center, knocking Billiken starter Emma DeKalb walked the first batter she faced before getting the next batter to foul out to the catcher for the second out. DeKalb issued walks to the following two batters to push across the Salukis' fifth run of the contest before Garza's single down the left-field line brought in two runs to make it a seven-run game.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Billikens got back-to-back hits singles from Caitlin Trevillyan beat out the throw to first on a two-out single up the middle to push Flanagan across and break up the shutout. But McNamara forced the next batter into an infield pop out to end the game.

Matesa (6-9) struck out three and surrendered five runs on eight hits and a walk in the first 6-1/3 innings. DeKalb gave up two runs on one hit and three walks in the final 2/3 of an inning. Flanagan sparked the Saint Louis offense with two hits.

Katie Schmidt gave Southern Illinois a 1-0 lead with an inside the park home run to center field to start the second inning of game two. Mallory Duran added an infield double before being sacrificed to third base. Jayme Wamsley knocked an RBI double to left center to put the Salukis on top 2-0. After Held was hit by a pitch from SLU game-two starter Stacy Gillette, Garza drove in a pair of runs with a single up the middle for the four-run advantage.

The Billikens loaded the bases in the first after Kristin Nicoletti and Rachel O'Connell reached on a walk and a single, respectively. Then Flanagan was hit by a two-out pitch to fill the bases, but SIU reliever Nikki Waters got the first batter she faced to ground out to end the threat. In the second, SLU had two of its first three hitters reach on Saluki errors before Nicoletti loaded the bases with a single up the middle. However, SIU again worked its way out of the jam unscathed.

The Salukis added a fifth and final run with two outs in the sixth. Held started the rally with a one-out single to center field. After moving to second on a ground out, she came across on Garza's single to left field.

Gillette (5-12) scattered 11 hits, two walks and one strikeout for five runs in the initial 5-2/3 innings. Reliever Erin Kelly gave up two walks and struck out one in 1-1/3 innings, while Nicoletti led the SLU offense with two hits.