SLU Softball saw action over the weekend, hosting La Salle, before having their midweek game against SEMO cancelled.
In the La Salle series, SLU went 1-2, winning Saturday’s game in remarkable fashion. Junior pitcher Maddie Baalman pitched a complete game shutout, going five innings in the short game. No scoring happened in the first three innings, despite both teams getting runners on. SLU’s first came in an unusual way: a bases-loaded walk. SLU led 1-0 after four innings.
The bats came to life for SLU in the fifth. Senior center fielder Mackenzie Peter singled down the right field line, and later scored off an infield single by senior designated hitter Taylor Meeks. Meeks scored off a double by senior left fielder Emma Buckles. Junior left-fielder Josie Knesel batted in both Buckles and senior shortstop Alex Nickel off a base hit up the middle. Junior third baseman Allie Macfarlane hit a grand slam home run to clinch the 9-0 victory for SLU.
With that grand slam, Macfarlane broke the career RBI record with 124, beating out Lindsay Friedman.
Macfarlane credited the team for helping her hit the grand slam. “RBIs don’t come unless people get on base. I owe it all to my teammates…”
While SLU had an offensive rally in the fifth, Head Coach Christy Connoyer gave credit to Baalman. “[She] threw a nice game; [She] got them guessing.” Connoyer also credited the rest of the defense: “When we needed to make a play, we did.”
Baalman notched her tenth win, striking out seven on three hits and one walk. Sophomore second baseman Mackenzie Lawson and Peter registered two hits apiece.
On Sunday, SLU played a doubleheader against La Salle, dropping both games.
In game one, SLU struck early, with Peter batting in sophomore second baseman Mackenzie Lawson in the first. La Salle got on the board in the fifth, tallying three. SLU answered back with a Nickel solo shot, and trailed 4-2 at the end of the fifth. Another homer in the sixth by Peter cut the lead to 4-3. Despite freshman reliever Kaylea Chappelle striking out two in the seventh, SLU couldn’t get any more offense going, losing game one 4-3.
Like Macfarlane on Saturday, Peter gave credit to her teammates for pumping up the energy in game one. “We all rally around each other; it’s awesome.”
Meeks registered a single, and Baalman allowed just two earned runs in five innings of work.
In game two, La Salle struck early with two tallies in the first and four in the second. SLU answered with a Macfarlane 2-RBI single down the left field line in the third, cutting La Salle’s lead to 6-2. La Salle hit a solo home run in the fourth, boosting their lead to 7-2. SLU tallied three in the fifth, thanks to RBIs from Peter and senior first baseman Alyssa Tarquinio, and a sac fly to right by senior catcher Hailey Weavers. Despite this rally, neither team scored again in the 7-5 loss to La Salle.
Despite the pair of losses, Connoyer was appreciative of the effort the team puts in to every game. “They fight and they keep pushing.”
Macfarlane registerd three hits, Weavers collected a double, and Chappelle retired nine of the ten batters she faced in her three innings of relief. Nickel, Peter, Knesel, Lawson and Buckles all chalked up singles.
SLU was originally set to play Southeast Missouri State University, but the game was cancelled due to rain in the forecast. The softball players may appreciate the lack of a midweek game, though, with conference games looming in the near future.
SLU hosts A-10 foe George Mason this weekend for a three-game series. SLU plays a doubleheader Saturday before honoring the seniors Sunday.
