The past week has been a busy one for the Billiken softball team. First, they wrapped up the Rebel Spring games in Florida with consecutive wins over both Bucknell and Colgate on Friday, but lost a double header to nationally ranked Northwestern on Tuesday.
First, in the game versus Bucknell, the Billikens started off strong when Kinsley Kelley drove in Rachel Heet for the first run of the game, and Jill Pursell and Christy Ernst both scored in the second inning.
A rain delay followed, but the Billikens came out of it swinging, with Annie Dillinger and Jenna Renner both scoring off a single from Allison Appenfeller. Jody Herbert, Jill Pursell and Rachel Heet loaded the bases, and scored with a hit from Christy Ernst and walks from Kinsley Kelley, Brittney Schmidt and Annie Dillinger, the Bills rounded out the third with a 9-2 lead. Bucknell fought back, knocking in three runs in the fifth inning, but two more runs from the Billikens put the game away.
In the next game versus Colgate, the game started off strong once again, with Jill Pursell knocking in a home run in the top of the first inning.
Later in the third inning, Annie Dillinger hit another home run, this time knocking in two runs to put the Billikens up 3-0. Shana Richard crossed the plate on a suicide squeeze, to round out the game for the Billikens.
This past Tuesday, the Billikens’ luck ran out, and they lost both games of a double header to nationally ranked Northwestern. In the first game, Northwestern started out quite strong, climbing to a 5-0 lead by the top of the first inning, thanks in part to a three-run home run, compliments of Northwestern’s Tammy Williams. SLU did manage to put a run on the board in the third inning, when Nicky Jost advanced through the bases, before finally getting home on a passed ball. From here, however, it was all downhill for the Billikens, and Northwestern won 11-1 in the end.
The second game of the double header fared slightly better for the Billikens, but they were still unable to pull out a win. The game started off slow, with no runs until the third inning.
In the third, Northwestern put their first runs on the board with a two-run home run. In the fifth inning, Northwestern scored three times. In the bottom of the sixth, the Bills began to claw their way back.
Jenna Renner and Rachel O’Connell began the inning, getting on base by an error and walk, respectively. Both went home after a home run, compliments of Pursell, to bring the Billikens to within two. From there, however, the Billikens could advance no further, and they finished the game 5-3.
Last night, the Billikens fell to Indiana State in a 14-inning thriller, 5-4. They next play the Dayton Flyers at the Billikens Sports Center on Saturday. Game times are at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
