 Billikens Fall to host UMass in A-10 Softball Championship
May 12, 2007 AMHERST, Mass. - Saint Louis' Cinderella run through its first-ever Atlantic 10 Softball Championship came to an end with a 9-3 loss to host Massachusetts in the title game on Saturday afternoon in Amherst, Mass. The Billikens end the most successful season in school history with a 29-33 record while the Minutewomen improved to 37-12-1 and earned the A-10's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Saint Louis broke a scoreless tie in the top of the second without getting a hit. Shana Richard drew a leadoff walk but was forced out at second on Annie Dillinger's fielder's choice back to pitcher Brandice Balschmiter. Then Allison Appenfeller's grounder to the shortstop was fielded cleanly by Whitney Williams but the throw to second base sailed into right centerfield allowing Dillinger to move to third. Pinch runner Jess Burns then attempted a delayed steal of second and UMass took the bait with the catcher throwing to second baseman Stacy Cullington, who was cutting the ball off just behind the pitching circle to try to get Dillinger going home. But her throw to third was wide allowing Dillinger to cross safely for the 1-0 lead while Burns advanced to third. After a strikeout, Brittney Schmidt reached on a walk but Balschmiter (27-8)struck out her second batter of the frame to end the threat. The Minutewomen countered with a run of their own in the bottom of the second. Amanda Acampora drove a two-out double off the wall in left center to get UMass started. Samantha Salato then singled to right field to send pinch runner Jill Andrews across for the tie. The tie didn't last long though as UMass loaded the bases with three straight hits to start the third inning. After working SLU starter Stacy Gillette to a 3-2 count, Cullington went deep send a Gillette offering over the scoreboard in left field for a grand slam to make it 5-1. Lauren Proctor followed with a single through the left side to knock Gillette (4-5) out of the game. She lasted two innings while surrendering six hits and six earned runs in taking the loss.
Reliever Lorena Floccari retired the first two batters she faced before Salato drove a pitch to the wall in right center for an RBI triple to push the lead out to five. Jessica Serio then knocked a double off the wall in left center for another run and Whitney Williams smacked her second hit of the inning through the right side for the seventh UMass run of the inning for the 8-1 advantage. Appenfeller helped the Bills put the leadoff runner on for the third straight inning with a bloop single in the fourth. But Appenfeller was forced out at second on Rachel O'Connell's fielder's choice while a groundout moved O'Connell to second one batter later. Jill Pursell then singled to left field to put Billikens on the corners before stealing second base to get into scoring position. Rachel Heet followed with a double to right center to bring home O'Connell and Pursell and cut the Minutewomen lead to five at 8-3. UMass scored again in the fourth after Candice Molinari started the inning with a bloop single to shallow centerfield. After stealing second, Molinari went on to third on a groundout. Then Proctor brought her home with a double to centerfield for the 9-3 lead, which held for the final score. Balschmiter earned the complete-game victory, striking out 13 and walking three while scattering six hits. The Billikens' Floccari allowed five hits and three earned runs in two innings. SLU's second reliever, Rosie Gonzalez, held the Minutewomen hitless while walking one and striking out one in the final two innings. Heet, who was named to the All-Championship Team along with pitcher Ashley Levan, led the Billiken offense with a 3-for-4 effort and a pair of RBI while Pursell, Ernst and Appenfeller picked up SLU's other hits. |
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