The Billikens took one of two games against Southeast Missouri
State last week in St. Louis.

The Saint Louis University softball team had a very
slow-starting week, splitting a doubleheader against Southern
Illinois University-Carbondale last Thursday. The Billikens
continued their upswing, playing against Bradley University in a
doubleheader Monday and against Southeast Missouri State on
Tuesday.

The Bills’ first match-up of their busy week was against SIUC,
losing 1-0. SIUC’s Amy Harre threw a no-hitter against the Bills.
The Salukis got their one run of the game in the top of the fifth
off of a single, a sacrifice bunt and then a double with two outs
to bring in the runner.

The second game proved to be more interesting, with the Bills
coming away with the win 5-4.

“In the first game we just didn’t hit well,” Kerri Higgins said.
“We came back in the second game and started getting some hits. We
became really motivated to win. They are a big rival and no one
wanted to lose.”

Going into the bottom of the seventh the Bills were behind 4-1.
Beth Yagge singled to start the inning off. Nicole Bohnenstiehl hit
a double, bringing in the run. Ashlee Williams doubled to bring
Bohnenstiehl home, scoring another run for the Bills. Ashlee Heady
then hit the ball to second, but with the Salukis mishandling it,
she was able to reach second and bring in the tying run. Heady
reached third on Adrie Bogaars’ infield out, and on a wild pitch
was able to make it home.

In the final home game of the season, the Bills defeated Bradley
1-0 and 4-3. “It was sad of course because it was the last home
game for the seniors,” Higgins said. The single run for the Bills
in the first game came in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bogaars
singled and Jessica Saucedo pinch ran for her. Adrienne May had a
sacrifice bunt to advance Saucedo, and Beth Puttcamp’s ground-out
placed her on third. Melissa Quist hit a single to bring in the
only run of the game.

The second game featured a little more excitement than the
first, with the Bills coming away with a 4-3 win. Bradley scored
the first run of the game in the first inning and then added two
more in the fourth.

The Bills were down 3-1 going into the sixth and came back to
secure another win. Puttcamp singled and then Quist beat out an
infield hit. Next, Heady doubled bringing in a run, cutting the
lead 3-2. In the seventh inning, Bohnenstiehl hit a home run to tie
the game. For the win, Bogaars knocked the ball over the fence for
her first home run of the season and the win.

The Bills then traveled to Cape Girardeau last Tuesday to play
SEMO. They came away triumphant with a 4-2 victory. The Bills took
an early lead in the third, scoring two runs. Leading off the run
was Quist with a single, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Heady to
advance the runner. Quist scored on a throwing error for the first
run. Yagge singled in Kerri Higgins for the second run of the
inning as the Otahkians plated a run in the bottom of the
inning.

The Bills answered with two more runs in the fourth. AshLeigh
Williams singled and advanced on a bunt by Puttcamp. After a double
steal, Williams scored on a sacrifice fly by Quist, with Puttcamp
advancing to third on he play, putting her in perfect position to
score later, which she did on a passed ball. SEMO scored again off
of a single home run, making the final score 4-2.

“Almost everyone had a hit, and Nicole was pitching really well.
We executed when we had people on base which was a big difference
because we had trouble with that in the previous games,” Higgins
said.