Billikens Extend Win Streak to Four Games
April 29, 2008
MACOMB, Ill. - Saint Louis used a pair of strong pitching efforts and some timely hitting to pick up a pair of nonconference wins (3-2, 6-4) at Western Illinois on Tuesday afternoon. Saint Louis (21-31-1) ran out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the opener. Rachel O'Connell reached on a one-out single and scored on Nicki Jost's two-out triple. But the Westerwinds tied things up at 1-1 on a double steal following a pair of hits in the third. The Billikens waited until the sixth inning to strike again. Kristin Nicoletti hit a leadoff double and O'Connell reached base on catcher's interference. Nicoletti eventually crossed on an error and O'Connell scored on Jost's RBI groundout for the 3-1 lead. WIU (8-30) added a run in the bottom of the seventh and loaded the bases with one out, but SLU starter Stacy Gillette induced a fielder's choice and a pop out to get out of the jam. She struck out four and scattered seven hits in the complete-game victory. Nicoletti had two hits to lead the offense while Jost had a game-high two RBIs. In game two, SLU's offense caught fire in the opening inning. Nicoletti singled and moved to second on a groundout to start the frame. A two-base error allowed Nicoletti to score as Rachel Heet advanced to second. Heet scored on a second Westerwind error before Shana Richard drove in the Bills' third run with a single up the middle. A Western Illinois home run cut the margin to two entering the third, but SLU got the run back with a single run off a hit and an error in the top of the third. The Westerwinds scored on a sac fly in the bottom of the frame to make it 4-2. Heet and Katie Johns had a home run and an RBI triple, respectively, to increase the Billikens' lead to 6-2 in the sixth. Then WIU strung together three hits for two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but reliever Erin Kelly shut down the Westerwinds in the last two innings to preserve the victory.
Lorena Floccari earned the game-two win after allowing eight hits and striking out five. Kelly earned the save, allowing just one hit in two innings of relief. Heet and Johns powered the offense with two hits and two RBIs apiece in the nightcap. |
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