SLU TO FACE SIUE, LA SALLE THIS WEEK – Saint Louis softball (25-14, 9-5 Atlantic 10) has four games on this week's schedule. The Billikens travel to Edwardsville, Ill., for a single game against SIUE (32-9) Wednesday, April 15, at 4 p.m. Conference opponent La Salle (9-8, 7-2 A-10) comes to the Billiken Sports Center for a three-game weekend series April 18-19. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game is slated for noon.

FOLLOWING THE ACTION – Free live statistics are available for every game this week. The links are located on the home page of Saint Louis' official athletics website, www.SLUBillikens.com, in the schedule section just below the lead stories, as well as on the softball schedule page. On the schedule page, the links are located under Related Links.

ABOUT THE BILLIKENS – Saint Louis begins the week in third place in the A-10, trailing first-place Dayton and second-place La Salle. The Billikens bat .299 and average 6.15 runs. SLU's pitching and defense have been solid as well; the Bills have a 3.55 ERA and a .956 fielding percentage. Shortstop Alex Nickel tops the team's batting average chart with a .447 mark, followed by second baseman Allie Macfarlane (.336), pitcher Brianna Lore (.323), center fielder Lindsay Friedman (.316), third baseman Elizabeth Everingham (.315) and right fielder Mackenzie Peter (.309). Macfarlane and Friedman lead the club with 39 and 35 RBIs, respectively, while Friedman (eight), Macfarlane (seven), Nickel (seven) and Everingham (six) have combined for 28 of the Billikens' 43 home runs. Other leaders are Nickel (55 hits, 10 doubles, 38 runs, 86 total bases, .699 slugging percentage, .548 on-base percentage, 28 walks), Friedman (13 steals, 11 hit-by-pitch) and Peter (10 doubles). In the circle, Lore is 12-8 with a 2.65 ERA and two shutouts; Laney Kneib is 6-0 with a 3.26 ERA, one shutout and five saves; and Maddie Baalman is 7-6 with one shutout.

RECAPPING LAST WEEK – The Billikens dropped two of three in an A-10 series at George Washington. Brianna Lore tossed a three-hitter with eight strikeouts and hit a home run in a 5-1 victory in game one.

SCOUTING SIUE – The Cougars, who last year won the Ohio Valley Conference title and competed in the NCAA Championship, lead the OVC with a 14-3 record. SIUE is receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball collegiate top-25 poll. Rebecca Gray is the team leader in batting average (.388), followed by Haley Chambers (.379), Jordan LaFave (.345), Alex McDavid (.295), Allison Smiley (.295) and Rachel Keller (.293). Chambers has team highs of seven home runs and 30 RBIs; Smiley (29) and LaFave (27) are challenging her for the RBIs lead. The Cougars are strong in the circle, boasting a 2.03 team ERA. Chambers is 18-4 with a 1.46 ERA and five shutouts; she has 218 strikeouts and just 32 walks in 148 1/3 innings. Baylee Douglass is 13-4 with a 1.97 ERA to go with 119 strikeouts and 22 walks in 110 innings.

SCOUTING LA SALLE – The Explorers play five non-conference games this week before traveling to St. Louis. Christina Bascara, an A-10 All-Rookie selection in 2014, leads the team in batting average (.486) and RBIs (16) and is second in home runs (four). Valerie Pineiro bats .333 with 14 RBIs and a team-high five homers, while Alicia Aughton – a 2014 first-team All-Conference choice – checks in at .316 with 11 RBIs. Knocking on the door of .300 are 2014 All-Rookie performer Michelle Hagarty (.298, three home runs) and Linnette Siedler (.297). Mary Cate Scott (4-2, 2.95 ERA) is La Salle's top hurler. McKenzie Peace (3-3, 5.54) and Aughton (2-3, 6.23) round out the Explorers' pitching staff.

UP NEXT – Saint Louis has five games on the schedule next week, all on the road. The Billikens play a doubleheader at Southeast Missouri State Wednesday, April 22, with game one beginning at 4 p.m. SLU returns to A-10 action April 25-26 with a three-game series at Saint Joseph's. Saturday's doubleheader and Sunday's single game begin at 11 a.m. (CT).

HEAD COACH CHRISTY CONNOYER – Now in her fifth season at the Billiken helm, head coach Christy Connoyer owns a 166-145 career record and a 135-115 mark at SLU. Connoyer previously served as associate head coach at Southern Illinois, and in 2005 she was head coach at Tulsa, where she became the first coach in program history to compile a winning record in her first season. Connoyer is a 1994 graduate of Notre Dame, where she was a four-time first-team All-Conference selection.

BILLIKENS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICS – Through games of April 12, Saint Louis ranks among the top 50 in the nation in four categories – doubles (eighth, 1.77/game), home runs (38th, 1.10/game), runs (40th, 6.15/game) and slugging percentage (46th, .492). Laney Kneib is fifth in saves (five); Alex Nickel is 26th in on-base percentage (.548) and 35th in batting average (.447); and Lindsay Friedman is 35th in hit-by-pitch (0.28/game).

BILLIKENS IN THE A-10 STATISTICS – Through games of April 12, SLU ranks among the top three in the Atlantic 10 Conference in home runs (first, 1.10/game), doubles (first, 1.77/game), batting average (second, .299), runs (second, 6.15/game), slugging percentage (second, .492), ERA (second, 3.55) and stolen bases (third, 1.05/game).

Alex Nickel: First in hits (1.41/game), first in runs (0.97/game), first in total bases (86), second in walks (0.72/game), fourth in batting average (.447), fourth in on-base percentage (.548), fourth in home runs (0.18/game), fifth in slugging percentage (.699).

Allie Macfarlane: First in RBIs (1.08/game), tied for third in home runs (0.19/game), tied for fifth in total bases (67).

Laney Kneib: Tied for first in saves (five).

Lindsay Friedman: Second in home runs (0.21/game), second in runs (0.95/game), second in hit-by-pitch (0.28/game), fifth in RBIs (0.90/game).

Brianna Lore: Third in strikeouts (5.76/seven innings), fourth in ERA (2.65), tied for fourth in wins (12), fifth in lowest opponents' batting average (.241).

Elizabeth Everingham: Tied for third in hit-by-pitch (0.23/game); tied for fifth in home runs (0.15/game).

Mackenzie Peter: Tied for fifth in doubles (0.38/game).

NICKEL IS NO SMALL CHANGE – Alex Nickel has produced with impressive consistency this season. Nickel has hit safely in 34 of 39 games, including 30 of the last 33. She has two double-digit hitting streaks – a career-high 15-game streak (.479, 11 RBIs) and a 10-game streak (.613, four home runs, eight RBIs).

LORE, KNEIB, FRIEDMAN SET SLU CAREER RECORDS – Brianna Lore became Saint Louis' all-time winningest pitcher with her victory over Fordham March 21. Lore has 51 wins, breaking the previous school standard of 45 set by Nicole Bohnenstiehl (2001-03). Laney Kneib set the school mark for saves when she preserved a win against George Mason March 28. Kneib has nine saves, surpassing the previous record of seven shared by Lorena Floccari (2005-08) and Kelcie Matesa (2009-12). Lindsay Friedman established a Billiken standard for walks in the Missouri game April 1. Friedman's 85 walks top the previous mark of 79 set by Alyson Brand (2010-13). She has increased her school-record home run total to 27 this season after breaking the previous record of 18 (Laura Bohning, 2010-13) last year.

FRIEDMAN, MACFARLANE, NICKEL APPROACHING SEASON RECORDS – Lindsay Friedman clubbed her eighth home run of the season March 29 vs. George Mason, leaving her just one homer shy of tying her own school mark set last year. Allie Macfarlane has 39 RBIs, just two away from tying the school record of 41 held by Nicki Jost (2009). With 28 walks, Alex Nickel is only four free passes from tying Friedman's school mark of 32 (2014).

SEVERAL BILLIKENS SET SEASON RECORDS BY CLASS – Five Billikens have established or tied school season records by class. Lindsay Friedman has set SLU season marks for seniors for home runs (eight) and RBIs (35). Allie Macfarlane now owns the Billiken freshman records for home runs (seven) and RBIs (39). Alex Nickel has registered sophomore school marks for total bases (86) and walks (28). Laney Kneib's five saves are the most by a Billiken junior, and Elizabeth Everingham has tied the junior record with nine hit-by-pitch.

KEEPING THOSE INNINGS ALIVE – Saint Louis has scored 129 two-out runs this season, 54 percent of its total of 240 runs. The Billikens have tallied at least one 2-out run in 66 of 259 innings; they have scored multiple two-out runs in 30 of those 66 innings. Last year's team registered 82 two-out RBIs and featured four players who reached double digits in that category. This year's squad already has 116 two-out RBIs and five players who have reached double digits, led by Allie Macfarlane's 28 – easily eclipsing the 2014 team high of 15. Macfarlane is batting .476 (20-for-42) with two outs. Lindsay Friedman is second on the team with 17 two-out RBIs; Friedman hits .394 (13-for-33) with two outs. Elizabeth Everingham is third with 14 two-out RBIs. Alex Nickel (team-high .548/17-for-31) and Alyssa Tarquinio have 12 two-out RBIs apiece.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK – The Billikens have set or tied four single-game school team records this season. Saint Louis drew a school-record 11 walks vs. Mississippi Valley State (Feb. 6), Jackson State (Feb. 19) and Northern Colorado (March 12). The Bills equaled school marks with five home runs vs. Fordham (March 22), six doubles vs. Austin Peay (Feb. 6) and seven stolen bases vs. Mississippi Valley State (Feb. 6). Alex Nickel set a Billiken record with five hits vs. Rhode Island (April 3) and matched a school mark with three walks vs. Northern Colorado (March 14). Elizabeth Everingham (Austin Peay, March 6), Allie Macfarlane (Fordham, March 22) and Hailey Weavers (Fordham, March 22) tied a SLU single-game standard with two home runs. Lindsay Friedman was hit by a pitch twice vs. Dayton (March 25) to tie a school mark.

BILLIKENS SET RBI RECORD, CLOSE IN ON OTHER MARKS – The Billikens have a school-record 220 RBIs this season, breaking the previous mark of 216 set last season. SLU is within striking distance of three other single-season school standards – runs (240; record is 242 set in 2007), home runs (43; record is 46 set in 2010) and doubles (69; record is 76 set in 2007). In addition to RBIs, the Bills already have surpassed last year's totals of 29 home runs and 66 doubles.

ONE IS NOT ENOUGH – Alex Nickel leads the Billikens with 14 multi-hit games, followed by Allie Macfarlane (11), Elizabeth Everingham and Brianna Lore (10), Lindsay Friedman (eight) and Mackenzie Peter (seven). Macfarlane is on top with 10 multi-RBI games, followed by Friedman (nine), Everingham (seven), Nickel and Lore (six), and Alyssa Tarquinio (five).

A GRAND OLD TIME – Saint Louis has hit four grand slams this season. Allie Macfarlane has two of them, going deep with the bases loaded vs. Northern Kentucky March 8 and Missouri April 1. Lindsay Friedman hit a grand slam – the third of her career – vs. Northern Colorado March 12, and Alyssa Tarquinio had one vs. Rhode Island April 4.

WALK THIS WAY – The Billikens have been reaching base via the free pass more frequently in recent outings. After averaging 3.8 walks in its first 26 games, Saint Louis averaged 5.4 walks in its last 13 contests. The Bills also had 18 batters hit by a pitch in those 13 games.

KEEP IT IN THE PARK – Billiken pitchers have been successful in limiting the number of opponents' home runs. SLU allowed just 16 homers in its first 39 games.

WINNING THE CLOSE ONES – Saint Louis is 9-3 in one-run games and 3-0 in two-run games.

MAGIC NUMBERS: SIX AND TWO – The Billikens own an 18-1 record when scoring six or more runs. Saint Louis is 11-1 when holding its opponent to two or fewer runs.

TAKE THE LEAD AND DON'T LOOK BACK – Saint Louis has scored first 24 times and is 18-6 in those games. The Billikens are 16-4 when scoring in the first inning. In the first three innings, SLU has outscored its opponents 125-62.

HOMERS LEAD TO HAPPINESS – When hitting at least one home run, SLU owns a 21-5 record.

LET'S START A RALLY – The Billikens have put their leadoff batter on base by hit, walk or hit-by-pitch 119 times in 259 innings, an average of .459. Three players are at or above the .500 mark in this category – Brianna Lore (.640), Alex Nickel (.588) and Elizabeth Everingham (.522).

PILING UP THE HITS – Saint Louis has recorded 10 or more hits 12 times this season. The Billikens' season high is 18 hits vs. Middle Tennessee State.

THEY CALL IT THE STREAK – Six Billikens have enjoyed a hitting streak of at least five games this season. Alex Nickel had a team-best 15-game streak earlier this season and added a 10-game streak. Lindsay Friedman's nine-game hitting streak was the team's third longest, and Elizabeth Everingham had an eight-game streak earlier this season. Also on the list are Mackenzie Peter (six), Alyssa Tarquinio (five) and Hailey Weavers (five).

“K” IS NOT IN THEIR ALPHABET – Macie Wheeler is the toughest Billiken to strike out, fanning just once every 16.3 plate appearances. Alex Nickel is second with one strikeout every 14.3 plate appearances; Nickel has just four strikeouts in her last 95 trips to the plate. Lindsay Friedman ranks third (once every 11.2 PAs).

BILLS POST SCHOOL-RECORD WINNING STREAK – SLU's 11-10 win over Northern Colorado March 14 was its school-record ninth consecutive victory, breaking the record of eight straight wins set by last year's team.

NO-NO-NOBODY ELSE – When Brianna Lore no-hit Kennesaw State March 6, she became the first pitcher in Billiken history to toss more than one no-hitter. Lore's first no-no came against Southern Illinois last season.

CLIMBING THE CAREER LADDER – Several current Billikens are ranked among the top 10 on various SLU career statistical lists. 

Lindsay Friedman: First in home runs (27) and walks (85); second in RBIs (113), runs (133), on-base percentage (.439) and hit-by-pitch (39); third in total bases (262); fourth in slugging percentage (.520); fifth in stolen bases (63); eighth in hits (152); ninth in batting average (.302).

Brianna Lore: First in wins (51); second in starts (94) and innings (580); third in appearances (110); fourth in ERA (2.85) and saves (six); tied for fourth in sacrifice flies (four); fifth in complete games (54); sixth in strikeouts (379) and on-base percentage (.386); tied for seventh in shutouts (five); ninth in slugging percentage (.438); 10th in strikeouts per seven innings (4.57).

Alex Nickel: First in batting average (.385) and on-base percentage (.489); second in slugging percentage (.559); tied for fourth in sacrifice flies (four); tied for fifth in walks (56); 10th in runs (75); tied for 10th in home runs (10).

Allie Macfarlane: First in slugging percentage (.609); second in batting average (.336); third in on-base percentage (.438).

Mackenzie Peter: Third in batting average (.323) and slugging percentage (.523); fourth in on-base percentage (.416).

Laney Kneib: First in saves (nine); eighth in wins (25) and appearances (78).

Elizabeth Everingham: Tied for third in home runs (17); tied for fourth in sacrifice flies (four); tied for fifth in walks (56); sixth in RBIs (75); seventh in assists (290); 10th in slugging percentage (.431) and on-base percentage (.372).