SLU Softball has faced numerous opponents over the last two weeks. The Billikens swept SBU in a doubleheader and split another with Dayton, before losing a pair of games each to No. 19 Arkansas and UMass.

SLU traveled to Dayton on Thursday, Apr. 5. Dayton struck early in the first game, taking a 5-0 lead after four innings. SLU rallied in the fifth with a solo shot from senior infielder Alyssa Tarquinio, followed by an RBI single from senior infielder Allie Macfarlane and a two-RBI single from sophomore designated hitter Kaylea Chappelle. Dayton answered with six runs across the fifth and sixth in the 11-4 loss.

Dayton tallied a run early in game two, but SLU answered with a pair of runs in the second and third. Chappelle hit a two-run dinger in the second, with an RBI double from freshman outfielder Sadie Wise and RBI single from Macfarlane. Dayton added a tally in the sixth, but Tarquinio sent another one out of the park for an insurance tally 5-2 win.

Freshman Sadie Wise broke the single season home run record in a neutral-site sweep of St. Bonaventure on Friday, April 6.

SLU scored seven times in the bottom of the second. Junior catcher Kaylyn Breitbach drove in a run off a single, junior infielder Mackenzie Lawson drove in two off a double, and freshman outfielder Maria Connell drove a sacrifice fly out to center to score another. Junior outfielder Lauren Lomax drove another one in and Wise scored two off a rare two-RBI sacrifice fly. Breitbach scored on an error in the third, with Wise and Macfarlane launching a homer apiece in the fourth for three additional runs in the 11-0 win.

Wise broke the single-season homerun record with a two-run shot in the first, before the Billikens tallied four times in the second—a wild pitch, sacrifice flies from Connell and freshman outfielder Kat Lane, and a Wise RBI single. Connell drove in another in the third, with Macfarlane doubling to clear the bases in the fourth. The Bonnies tallied just once in the fifth in the 10-1 win.

SLU returned to St. Louis for an afternoon doubleheader against No. 19 Arkansas on Tuesday, April 10. The Billikens were shutout 7-0 and 5-0 in the sweep.

Arkansas struck early, with three runs in the first inning, and a pair of runs a piece in the fourth and fifth.

In game two, Arkansas tallied an unearned run in the second, scored another on a solo shot in the fourth, and three more on a three-run homer in the sixth. SLU loaded the bases in the seventh, but Macfarlane was thrown out attempting to score to end the game.

Head Coach Christy Connoyer provided a bit of insight into practice leading up to the Arkansas series. “We worked on what we anticipated seeing…they don’t strike out much, so we knew that we would have to play defense against them.”

SLU traveled to UMass on Saturday, April 14, falling 10-0 and 4-0 in a doubleheader series.

In game one, the Minutewomen batted in a run, but the Billikens committed three errors in the second, which translated to four UMass runs that inning. UMass scored five more times in the opener.

In game two, the game was scoreless until the fifth. UMass tallied four times—a solo shot and a three-run homerun. The Billikens put runners on second and third in the seventh but couldn’t get them across the plate.

Looking to rebound, SLU crossed the Mississippi River for a local game against SIUE on Wednesday, April 18. SLU plated a run in the second, with an RBI double from Breitbach. SIUE threatened in the second, putting a runner on third with nobody out. Freshman catcher Alyssa Chavez and Macfarlane got the runner caught in a pickle, with Macfarlane making the tag. Junior pitcher Kallen Loveless sat down the next batter to end the rally. SIUE threatened again in the fifth with a pair of hits. However, Chavez caught the first runner stealing and Macfarlane snatched a line drive to end the rally. Loveless went the distance in the circle, sitting down five batters in the 1-0 win.

SLU hosts Fordham for a three-game series this weekend. Saturday’s doubleheader and Sunday’s single game both start at noon.