This just in: The Saint Louis University softball team likes playing in North Carolina. The Billikens won a pair of road games over the weekend, rallying to beat Charlotte 3-2 last Saturday before slaying Lafayette 8-0 the following day.
The Billikens took a 2-0 lead over Charlotte in the third inning when freshman Kristi Rasnic scored on an error, and freshman left-fielder Kara Sell singled home sophomore right-fielder Jill Pursell.
"We had our game on that day," Sell said. "We played and hit the ball like we knew how."
Charlotte tied the game in the top half of the seventh, but the Billikens would not be denied. Junior shortstop Ashlee Heady singled in pinch runner Tiffany Thurow for the winning run.
"That game was a big win for us," Heady said. "Everyone was swinging the bat well at the plate and taking aggressive cuts. We got hits at the right time and ended up coming out on top."
The Billikens got a strong pitching performance from freshman right-hander Lorena Floccari, who gave up two runs and had five strikeouts.
After a dramatic win against Charlotte, the Billiken bats went to work against Lafayette, giving freshman right-hander Ashley Levan more run support than she needed. Levan pitched a gem, allowing no runs and just three hits in six shutout innings of work.
Senior centerfielder Adrienne May, who had three hits and scored three runs, did most of the damage for the Billikens. She scored the first run of the game in the first inning on Sell's RBI-groundout. Sell struck again in the third inning, singling home Heady to give the Billikens a 2-0 advantage.
The Billikens had a pair of three-run innings in the fifth and sixth innings, to blow the game open. Beth Schomaker got a bases-loaded walk in the fifth before freshman second-baseman Katie Hoffarth plated two runs with a double. May doubled in a run in the fifth, and the Billikens scored their final two runs on a fielder's choice and an error.
"You can never pin a win or a loss on just one person or thing, but the key to winning was that everyone was getting hits, up and down our lineup," Heady said.
"Everyone was very aggressive at the plate, our pitching was outstanding, and our defense shut out Lafayette's offense."
The Billikens (6-9) host their home opener on Wednesday, March 16 with a double-header against UMKC at the Billiken Sports Center. They are also in action this weekend for a three-game series at home against Southern Miss.
"I think our confidence is building," Heady said. "We are a very young team, and most people think that is to our disadvantage, but I think it is positive because we have a lot of team energy and excitement on the field. We are coming together well, and I only foresee more and more wins for us in the future."
Sell said, "We just need to make sure we stay strong throughout the whole game and keep mentally focused and make sure we have attitude at the plate."
"We have a great team, and when we are all on our game we can play with the best of the best."
