IMPROVEMENT IN ABUNDANCE: SLU improved significantly in several areas compared to the 2012 season. The Billikens posted a .549 overall winning percentage and a .591 success rate in A-10 games, up from .411 and .450, respectively. After winning just four of 15 home games a year ago, Saint Louis went 10-6 (8-4 in the A-10) at the Billiken Sports Center this season. Statistically, the Bills were better in batting average (.243; .226 in 2012), slugging percentage (.358; .312 in 2012), on-base percentage (.349; .308 in 2012), ERA (2.89; 3.39 in 2012) and fielding percentage (.965; .954 in 2012). In addition, the Billikens produced better raw numbers in several categories despite playing five fewer games than they did a year ago, including runs (216; 155 in 2012), RBIs (194; 140 in 2012), home runs (31; 22 in 2012), hits (329; 316 in 2012), doubles (54; 48 in 2012), walks (188; 117 in 2012), double plays turned (22; 13 in 2012), assists (557; 479 in 2012), walks allowed (108; 169 in 2012) and home runs allowed (18; 31 in 2012).

BILLIKENS CONTINUE RISE IN RPI: The Billikens' 2013 RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) was 126. In addition to being the highest RPI ranking in program history, it places Saint Louis third in the Atlantic 10 Conference this season, trailing only Saint Joseph's and Fordham.

PLAYER HONORS: Laura Bohning was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference first team, while Brianna Lore and Laney Kneib were selected to the A-10 All-Rookie team. Bohning and Lore were joined by Jessica Van Nostrand on the A-10 All-Tournament team. Bohning collected an A-10 Player of the Week nod (May 6), while Kneib (Feb. 11) and Lore (April 22) earned A-10 Rookie of the Week plaudits. Bohning and Lore were tabbed All-Tournament at Tennessee State's Tiger Classic.

CLIMBING THE CAREER LADDER: Several Billikens finished the season ranked among the top 10 on various SLU career statistical lists. Alyson Brand finished her four-year tenure ranked first in career walks (79) and tied for first in sacrifice flies (six), while Laura Bohning concluded her career as SLU's all-time leader in home runs (18). Brand leaves the program second in RBIs (87), tied for third in home runs (14), fourth in fielding percentage (.988) and chances (939), fifth in putouts (779), ninth in on-base percentage (.363) and 10th in slugging percentage (.388). Bohning is fourth in RBIs (80) and slugging percentage (.442), tied for fourth in sacrifice flies (four) and 10th in total bases (186). Jessica Buschjost finished her career second in stolen bases (97), third in games played (213), fourth in runs (98), fifth in walks (53), seventh in hits (153) and at-bats (554), and tied for 10th in games started (194). Jessica Van Nostrand will begin her senior season second in assists (377; needs 14 for the career record), tied for sixth in hit by pitch (18) and tied for 10th in sacrifice bunts (20). Midway through her career, Lindsay Friedman is second in on-base percentage (.403), fifth in slugging percentage (.426) and hit by pitch (22), and tied for eighth in home runs (10). Erin Harcar winds up her career tied for ninth in stolen bases (36), while rising senior Kelsey Biggs is 10th in putouts (530). In the circle, Brianna Lore has five saves and Laney Kneib has three to rank third and tied for fifth, respectively.

TEAM SEASON RECORDS SET: Saint Louis established three team season records this year and produced top-five marks in several other categories. The Billikens set program standards for on-base percentage (.349), walks (188) and saves (nine). They were second on the program's all-time lists in home runs (31) and assists (557); third in fielding percentage (.965) and RBIs (194); fourth in runs (216), slugging percentage (.358) and sacrifice flies (seven); and fifth in total bases (484), hit by pitch (36) and chances (1,660).

FIVE INDIVIDUAL SEASON MARKS ESTABLISHED: Five Saint Louis individual season records were set in 2013, along with several other top-10 performances for a season. The record setters were Kelsey Biggs with 427 putouts and 463 chances, Lindsay Friedman with eight home runs, Brianna Lore with five saves and Jessica Van Nostrand with 155 assists. Lore finished second on SLU's all-time season charts in innings pitched (213), starts (34) and appearances (45), and she tied Laney Kneib for third in wins (14). Kneib was third in saves (three) and tied for fifth in appearances (36). Friedman earned a top-10 spot in five additional categories – tied for fifth in hit by pitch (11), sixth in slugging percentage (.524), seventh in on-base percentage (.429), and tied for seventh in RBIs (30) and runs (32). Laura Bohning tied for second in home runs (seven), tied for third in sacrifice flies (three), placed fourth in RBIs (32), finished fifth in slugging percentage (.529) and tied for eighth in walks (21). Van Nostrand was fifth in doubles (13), tied for seventh in runs (32), eighth in on-base percentage (.418) and ninth in total bases (76). Jessica Buschjost landed fifth in stolen bases (29), seventh in walks (23) and ninth in at-bats (176); Elizabeth Everingham tied for eighth in walks (21) and tied for 10th in assists (106); Alyson Brand was fourth in walks (26); and Olivia Roback was fifth in assists (127).

NUMEROUS GAME RECORDS ECLIPSED OR EQUALED: The 2013 Billikens broke or tied four single-game team records, three of which occurred in a 21-2 win at Rhode Island May 3. In that game, SLU set program standards for hits (20), RBIs (20 – tied) and total bases (36). The Bills tied a school mark with nine walks vs. Murray State (Feb. 22). Individually, Laura Bohning broke or tied six Saint Louis game records in the rout of Rhode Island. Bohning established Billiken marks for grand slams (two), RBIs (nine) and total bases (11) and tied the school record for home runs (two). She equaled two other standards and was joined by a different teammate in each category – hits (four, with Jessica Van Nostrand) and runs (four, with Lindsay Friedman). Van Nostrand tied two additional records – two hit by pitch vs. UMKC (March 28) and eight assists vs. Mississippi Valley State (March 9) and St. Bonaventure (March 23). Friedman tied the mark for hit by pitch with two at Illinois (March 16) and joined Jessica Buschjost, Elizabeth Everingham and Olivia Roback with a record-tying two sacrifice bunts. Other record-tying performances were turned in by Roback, eight assists at Rhode Island (May 3), and Alyson Brand, three walks at Illinois (March 16).

BILLIKEN STATISTICAL LEADERS: Lindsay Friedman and Jessica Van Nostrand led the Billikens in 10 and seven statistical categories, respectively. Friedman was the team leader in on-base percentage (.429), runs (32-tied), home runs (eight), two-out RBIs (19), batting average with runners in scoring position (.364), multiple-RBI games (eight), batting average with two outs (.313), sacrifice bunts (eight), longest hitting streak (13 games) and hit by pitch (11). Van Nostrand led the squad in batting average (.329), hits (52), doubles (13), runs (32-tied), total bases (76), assists (155) and multiple-hit games (16). Laura Bohning paced Saint Louis in slugging percentage (.529), RBIs (32), sacrifice flies (three) and percentage reaching base leading off an inning (.500). Kelsey Biggs led in chances (463) and putouts (427); Jessica Buschjost was first in stolen bases (29); and Alyson Brand drew a team-high 26 walks.

BILLIKENS IN THE NCAA STATISTICS REPORT: SLU was 18th nationally in fielding double plays (0.43 per game) and 35th in stolen bases (1.57 per game). Brianna Lore ranked 11th (five) and Laney Kneib was 33rd (three) in saves, while Jessica Buschjost was 32nd in stolen bases (0.57 per game).

BILLIKENS IN THE A-10 STATISTICS REPORT: Saint Louis led the Atlantic 10 Conference in stolen bases (80), saves (nine), fewest home runs allowed (18) and assists (557). The Bills ranked second in fielding percentage (.965), fewest walks allowed (108) and fielding double plays (22); third in ERA (2.89), runners caught stealing (14) and walks (188); fourth in wins (28), sacrifice bunts (38) and hit by pitch (36); and tied for fourth in home runs (31). Brianna Lore led the league in innings pitched (213), appearances (45) and starts (34), tied for first in saves (five), tied for fifth in wins (14) and placed seventh in ERA (2.63). Kelsey Biggs was first in the conference in chances (463) and putouts (427). Laney Kneib was fifth in appearances (36), tied for fifth in wins (14) and ninth in ERA (3.14); Jessica Van Nostrand finished second in assists (155) and tied for fourth in doubles (13); Alyson Brand was third in runners caught stealing (13) and fifth in walks (26); Jessica Buschjost was third in stolen bases (29); Laura Bohning tied for fourth in sacrifice flies (three); Lindsay Friedman tied for fourth in hit by pitch (11); and Olivia Roback was fifth in assists (127).