Softball season got underway for Saint Louis University on Feb. 13 at the Ramada UNI-Dome Classic. In their first game, the Bills faced Western Illinois, who took a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning. Junior shortstop Alex Nickel tied the game in the top of the third with a two-run home run. Although the Leathernecks scored on an unearned run in the third, SLU retaliated in the fifth.
Junior first basemen Emma Buckles began the inning with a home run that was followed by two-run hit by sophomore infielder Allie Macfarlane. SLU tacked on three runs in the seventh as well. Once again, Macfarlane was successful at bat, hitting a two-run double. Senior third baseman Elizabeth Everingham helped the Bills score with two RBIs for the two Billikens on base. SLU defeated Western Illinois 8-3.
Senior pitcher Brianna Lore allowed only two earned runs and seven hits in six innings. She also struck out two batters and did not walk any.
In the second game, the Bills faced South Dakota State (SDSU). Nickel got the Billikens on top early with her third home run of the season. SDSU gained a 2-1 lead after hitting back-to-back home runs with two outs. Lore tied the score in the fourth with an RBI double that leveled the playing field. Junior outfielder Mackenzie Peter had two-run double that was quickly followed by a hit from Everingham, which put the Bills up 5-2. Although the Jackrabbits scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth, the Billikens responded with three runs of their own. Peter drove in the first run on a double and Macfarlane brought in two more with a single to give the Bills an 8-3 advantage. SDSU cut the lead to three with a two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman catcher Kaylyn Breitbach had her first career hit, which was a double and scored off of a single from Buckles. SDSU rounded out the scoring with a run in the sevent, but SLU prevailed 9-6.
SLU had a Valentine’s Day matchup against Nebraska in which singles from Nickel and Macfarlane resulted in an unearned run that gave the Bills a 1-0 lead. Nebraska responded with three runs in the top of the second to gain a 3-1 advantage. Sophomore infielder Alyssa Tarquinio hit her first home run of the season in the fourth. The Billikens also scored on a wild pitch while the bases were loaded in order to regain a 4-3 lead. Nebraska went on top again in the sixth after hitting back-to-back home runs. They later scored two runs to defeat the Billikens 7-4.
The Billikens will travel to Fort Myers, Florida for the Four Points by Sheraton Invitational Feb. 19-21.
