Momentum is a strange, fickle thing.
The Saint Louis University softball team took care of business when they had to. SLU feasted on its weaker early-season opponents and raced out of the gates, opening the season 11-1.
During that stretch, the Billikens set a school record with a seven game winning streak.
SLU entered Conference USA play with enthusiasm and hoped to continue riding its new-found success.
The Billikens had defeated non-conference foe Tennessee State 12-3 and were riding high after the winning streak when they traveled to UAB in Birmingham, Ala., for a three-game series.
“Those games (at UAB) were tough losses for us,” said coach Jim Molloy. “We felt that we were the better team, but we just came out on the short end of the score.”
The Billikens opened up the series with a 1-0 loss to the Blazers. UAB extended their winning streak to seven games, which is a school record for the Blazers.
SLU had another opponent to face which limited SLU’s chances for a comeback, the contest was called after just five innings due to rain.
The contest was a pitching duel between SLU junior Nicole Bohnenstiehl and UAB’s Kerri Foster.
Bohnenstiehl allowed only three hits, while Foster gave up just two. Juniors Beth Yagge and Beth Puttcamp recorded the only hits for the Billikens.
The Blazers’ lone run came on Kristin Stanfill’s bases loaded walk in the second inning.
The second game marked much of the same for both teams. The Blazers took the second game, 4-3. The Billikens took an early lead, driving in two runs in the third inning.
But UAB countered with a pair of runs in the fourth. The Blazers grabbed the lead with one run in the fifth inning.
Megan Stephenson surrendered only three hits in gaining her first victory for the Blazers. Sophomore Heather Hubert picked up the loss, her first of the season.
The third game of the series had the Billikens again seizing the lead. SLU took advantage of a UAB error and converted one hit into a 1-0 lead.
The Blazers countered and took a 2-1 lead with a two-run home run by Kai Paul in the fourth inning.
SLU battled back and grabbed a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning. The Billikens used three hits to retake the lead.
A solo homer by UAB tied the game in the sixth inning. Clifannie Engram drove in Stanfill for UAB’s winning run.
“We got people in scoring position. But we weren’t able to come through with the hits we needed to score,” Molloy said.
UAB’s sweep marked SLU’s first losing streak of the season. The Billikens dropped to 11-4 overall and 0-3 in C-USA games.
