April 29, 2009

Box Score

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Saint Louis managed just six hits against SIU Edwardsville's pitching staff as the Cougars swept the non-conference doubleheader 2-0 and 8-0 at Cougar Field in Edwardsville, Ill., on Wednesday evening. The losses mark the first time this season that the Billikens (21-29, 12-4 A-10) have suffered back-to-back shutouts.

After Kristin Nicoletti singled up the middle to start the game, the Billiken offense couldn't really get anything going against SIUE's lefty starter Kaitlin Colosimo. Nicoletti made it all the way around to third on a stolen base and a ground out but remained stranded there as Colosimo got another ground out to end the threat. Katie Johns drew a one-out walk in the second, but she too was stranded at third after the Cougars used a ground out and a strikeout from Colosimo to end the scoring opportunity.

SIUE (40-10) took advantage of a leadoff walk to score the game's first run in the bottom of the third. After the runner was sacrificed to second with a bunt, SLU starter Kelcie Matesa got the ensuing batter to foul out to third for the second out. But Kasey Schlafke then smacked an RBI single up the middle to put her team on top 1-0.

SLU tried to mount a rally in the top of the third after Nicki Jost hit a one-out double to left field. Erin Cejka added a single but Jost was called out on the play for the second out. Colosimo then got Johns to foul out down the left field line to send her team into the dugout unscathed. The Cougars again used a leadoff walk to plate their second run in the bottom of the frame. A sacrifice bunt and a ground out moved the runner over to third before Whitney Davis plated the run with a single through the right side for the 2-0 edge, which held for the final score.

Matesa (7-11) suffered the loss after surrendering two runs on four walks and three hits while striking out two in the first six innings. Emma DeKalb tossed an inning of no-hit relief to finish the game. Colosimo (19-4) fanned nine batters and walked one in the complete-game effort. The Bills out-hit SIUE 4-3 with their hits coming from Nicoletti, Jost, Cejka and Kelly Flanagan.

Game two started much like game one with Nicoletti reaching on a leadoff single and moving around to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. But again she remained stranded at third when SIUE starter Erika Taylor struck out the ensuing batter for the third out. Despite hitting the first batter of the game, things looked good for Billiken starter Stacy Gillette in the first as she went on to retire the side on strikes. But in the bottom of the second, the Cougars ran out to a 1-0 lead after getting back-to-back doubles from Lindsay Longfellow and Davis. Then Gillette issued a walk to the next SIUE hitter before SLU recorded consecutive outs on a fielder's choice force out at third and a strikeout. Then Courtney Mall drove an RBI single through the left side to make it 2-0. `

Lauren Zembruski continued the Cougars rally in the third with a leadoff single up the middle. She stole second with one out before advancing to third on a Longfellow single. Davis' single up the middle brought in the third run of the game before SIUE moved two runners into scoring position following a passed ball by Saint Louis. After a ground out, Paige Sheeder's single to the gap in left center drove in two runs to give SIUE a 5-0 lead.

Reliever Erin Kelly kept the SIUE bats in check until the sixth inning when the first two hitters reached on a bunt single and a hit by pitch. Then DeKalb was brought in to finish the contest, but she surrendered a game-ending three-run homer as the Billikens were shut out in consecutive games for the first time this season.

Nicoletti and Liz Jones had SLU's only hits in game two as the Bills were out-hit 10-2. Gillette fell to 7-13 with the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk in the first 2-2/3 innings while fanning six.