SLU Softball played host to three foes and ended March at George Mason.

Despite cold rainy weather, the Billikens beat St. Joseph’s 9-1 in five innings on Saturday, March 24.

SLU got to work right off the bat—of senior infielder Allie Macfarlane, who batted in freshman outfielder Kat Lane. The next at bat, freshman catcher Alyssa Chavez sent a three-run blast sailing over the left field wall. SLU led 4-0 at the end of the first. The Hawks put up a sacrifice fly to score their sole run in the top of the second. In the fourth, SLU hit three homers–solo shots from Chavez and sophomore designated hitter Kaylea Chappelle, along with a three-run shot from freshman outfielder Sadie Wise. Baalman gave up an early walk in the fifth but set down the remaining batters on the way to the short-game winner.

The second day of play, Sunday, March 25, however, ended up in a 1-1 split for the Billikens and the Hawks and was more of a “small ball” day.

In game one, Chappelle scored off a throwing error by the left fielder in the second, before the Hawks tallied three in the fifth. Freshman catcher Alyssa Chavez blasted a solo shot over the left center wall in the Billikens’ half of the sixth, but the Hawks added another run in the seventh on their way to taking game one 4-2.

Game two saw the Billikens score early, thanks to a two-run blast from junior infielder Mackenzie Lawson in the second. The Hawks batted in a run in the fourth, but that was their only offense. Macfarlane added a third tally off an RBI double in the fifth on the way to a 3-1 win.

Baalman went the distance in both wins, pitching a combined 12 innings and allowing just two earned runs on four hits. Baalman also walked six and struck out 14 batters across both wins in the St. Joseph series.

According to Baalman, short-gaming the Hawks on Saturday helped her go the distance on Sunday.

Head Coach Christy Connoyer had a different analysis. “That’s a senior that has a ton of experience under her belt and is using that heading into A-10 play.”

It was a quick turnaround for the Billikens, who hosted Missouri State at the Billiken Sports Center on Tuesday, March 28. SLU gave up five runs in the fourth, along with an unearned run in the fifth. SLU tried to mount a rally in the seventh, with a 2 RBI double from junior outfielder Lauren Lomax and a sacrifice fly from freshman infielder Maria Connell. However, the Billikens couldn’t overcome the early deficit, falling 6-3 to the Bears.

SLU took the series against George Mason, winning the first game of the doubleheader on Friday, March 30, and the single game on Saturday, March 31.

In the first game of the doubleheader, George Mason scored a run in the first. SLU battled back with a five-run rally in the third. Lawson started off with a triple, scoring on Connell’s double. Macfarlane and Chappelle chipped in with an RBI each. The Billikens also capitalized off a throwing error, scoring two additional runs. In the fifth, Wise blasted another homer, a solo shot, to pad the lead on the way to a 6-1 victory.

In game two, the offense lacked on both sides. SLU scored their only run in the first. Lomax tripled, with Lane batting her in off a sacrifice fly. Mason scored just two runs in the second, but that ended up being enough in the 2-1 loss.

On Sunday, Apr. 1, the bats came back to life in a 12-2 short-game rout of George Mason. In the first, Wise hit another home run, a two-run blast, followed by a Lawson RBI single. A pair of errors gave the Billikens two runs in the second, along with a Lane sacrifice fly. Connell added an RBI double in the third, which was answered by George Mason in the same inning.

In the fourth, SLU scored five runs off RBI singles from Macfarlane and Chappelle and Junior catcher Kaylyn Breitbach clearing the bases with a three-run shot. George Mason scored a run in the fifth, but SLU held the Patriots to the two lone runs on the way to the win.

SLU heads out to Dayton for a doubleheader on Thursday, Apr. 5. First pitch for game one is set for 1 p.m. St. Louis time.