Over the weekend, SLU Softball hosted A-10 foe George Mason for a three-game series. The Billikens broke out the brooms in the sweep of the Patriots.
SLU played under the lights Friday night, April 28. Mason got on the board early, tallying two in the top of the first. In SLU’s half of the first, junior third baseman Allie Macfarlane doubled to right-center, batting in senior shortstop Alex Nickel. With one hit, SLU cut the Mason lead in half, trailing 2-1 after the first inning. Mason added another tally in the second to jump ahead 3-1. SLU struck back, tying the game at 3-3 in the third off a Nickel two-run blast. An unearned run in the fifth put Mason back on top 4-3. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore second baseman Mackenzie Lawson delivered a three-run homer, securing the 6-4 victory.
Game two began at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 29. Both teams couldn’t get any offense going early on, but a Lawson squeeze bunt scored one of SLU’s three runs in the third. In the bottom of the fourth, a line of thunderstorms forced the game to be suspended.
Play resumed on Sunday, April 30, and SLU played like the game never stopped. SLU tallied three runs in the bottom of the fourth off a single by junior left fielder Josie Knesel and a Macfarlane two-RBI double. SLU tallied single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, thanks to a Nickel RBI single and RBI double from senior infielder Taylor Meeks. SLU took game two 8-0.
SLU went for the sweep in game three. Mason scored an unearned run in the second, but SLU tied it back up in the third when Lawson drew a bases-loaded walk. The game stayed tied at 1-1 until the eighth. Macfarlane, the last batter of the game, found a hole and doubled to the left-center wall, scoring the winning run and completing the sweep.
Following the sweep, SLU honored five seniors: Right fielder Emma Buckles, center fielder Mackenzie Peter, Meeks, Nickel, and catcher Hailey Weavers.
Most of the seniors were excited about the win, but reminisced about their time on the team. Buckles was “really excited to get the sweep, and it’s always bittersweet for senior day.”
Peter was “thinking about all of us playing for each other and getting that win for each other.”
Nickel looked ahead to the tournament. “We really need these games…to make it into the conference tournament.” Meeks was appreciative of the fan support. “Seeing all the support from everyone…is cool.”
Weavers was perhaps the most reminiscent. “I’m really going to miss this team and everything I’ve learned at SLU. I think I’ve learned a lot of life lessons on and off the field.”
Head Coach Christy Connoyer reflected on the contributions by the seniors. “Proud of that class…They will be missed.”
In the final home series, SLU hosted Indiana State for nonconference action on Tuesday, May 2. SLU split the doubleheader with the Sycamores.
In game one, Nickel hit a solo shot in the first, putting SLU up 1-0. Indiana State struck back in the fourth with three runs and the fifth with two. SLU headed to the seventh down 5-1, but Peter hit her eighth home run to begin the seventh, but SLU couldn’t muster more offense, losing 5-2.
In game two, Knesel opened scoring for SLU with a sac fly, but Indiana State clawed back to tie in the fourth. SLU bats came to life in the bottom of the fourth. Buckles drove in two off a single to shallow right field, with Lawson drawing a bases-loaded walk in the 4-1 win.
To wrap up conference season, the Bills will travel to St. Bonaventure in Olean, New York on May 6-7. The Billikens will then compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament in Fairfax, Virginia on May 10-13.
