May 11, 2007

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - Saint Louis' Nikki Jost made her first hit of the Atlantic 10 Softball Championship count as she drove in the decisive run in the fifth inning that gave the Billikens a 1-0 victory over Charlotte on Friday afternoon in Amherst, Mass. The Bills (28-32) will now take on the loser of the Massachusetts/Fordham contest at 4 p.m. (CT) for a chance to play in the title game.

Saint Louis put runners in scoring position in the first and second innings but couldn't capitalize. Meanwhile, the 49ers threatened in the first and third frames but also failed to score.

The Bills finally manufactured a run in the bottom of the fifth with two outs. Rachel Heet reached on an error by the second baseman and stole second to get into scoring position. Jost then smacked a single to the gap in shallow left center to drive in Heet and break the stalemate for her team-leading 28th RBI of the season. Jost then stole third and Christy Ernst walked but the Billikens were unable to plate another run as Charlotte starter Kristen Bowen struck out the ensuing batter to escape the inning.

Charlotte got back-to-back one-out singles from Evan Miller and Kristi Killough in the top of the sixth and both runners got into scoring position on a wild pitch. However, SLU starter Ashley Levan fanned the next two 49ers to end the threat and escape the inning unscathed.

Levan (13-10) held the 49er bats at bay striking out 11 and scattering five hits. Bowen (14-13) took the loss for Charlotte, which ended its season with a 34-23 record. She walked four, fanned five and surrendered four hits and an unearned run.

The Billikens' four hits came from Jill Pursell, Jost, Ernst and Jenna Renner while Killough led Charlotte offense with a 3-for-3 effort.