April 9, 2007

On Deck: Saint Louis will attempt to surpass last year's win total when the Billikens take the field for six games at The Billiken Sports Center this week. SLU (19-21, 6-2 Atlantic 10) hosts UMKC in a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday, then plays single games against La Salle on Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at noon. A doubleheader against Fordham at noon on Sunday will cap the Billikens' second to last homestand of the season.

Recapping Last Week: After being swept in a non-conference doubleheader 3-1 and 3-0 at UT Martin to begin the week, SLU bounced back to take both games of a doubleheader, 1-0 and 6-3, at Rhode Island. Junior pitcher Ashley Levan broke the school record with 20 strikeouts in game one while shutting down Rhody over nine innings. The Bills suffered their first losses of the conference slate after dropping both games of a doubleheader, 8-0 and 5-0, at A-10 leader UMass. SLU fell victim to two complete-game shutouts by Minutewomen ace Brandice Balschmiter and managed just three hits in the two-game set.

Scouting Missouri-Kansas City: The Kangaroos have had a rough go of it thus far, as they enter Wednesday's twinbill with a 2-30 record. Earlier this year, the Billikens edged UMKC 5-4 at The BSC in the SLU Cancer Center Classic. During the Kangaroos' two games at the tournament, they slugged five home runs and picked up one of their wins, a 6-0 blanking of Southeast Missouri State. Jaclyn Schuyler leads the team with a .322 average, while Ashley Toft leads the club with six home runs and 14 RBIs. Cori Mead has a team-best 4.27 ERA and 54 strikeouts, while Samantha Hurst follows with 46 Ks. UMKC is led by first-year head coach Meredith Smith.

Scouting La Salle: The Explorers, who travel to Towson for a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, enter the week 10-14 overall and 5-6 in the A-10. La Salle is coming off a doubleheader split against Charlotte. The Explorers got a complete-game shutout from Laura Dezolt in the first game of the doubleheader, but fell 11-3 in six innings in the second game. Michelle Sullivan paces the offense with a .324 average and 19 RBIs, while Mary Pat Conville turns in a .292 average. Dezolt leads the pitching staff with a 4.90 ERA, followed by Laura Beth McCreesh's 4.94 ERA. Head coach Joe DiPietro is in his fourth season leading the Explorers with a 57-136-1 record.

Scouting Fordham: The 25-13 Rams step outside of A-10 play for doubleheaders against Manhattan and Iona before traveling to St. Louis for Sunday's conference twinbill. Fordham has put together a 9-1 record in the A-10, with its only setback coming last weekend in 3-2 loss at Saint Joseph's, a defeat that put a halt to a 16-game winning streak. Melissa Andrews boasts a team-leading .393 batting average, while Jessica Weckenman and Allison Twarowski follow with .386 and .385 averages, respectively. As a team, the Rams have slugged an A-10 leading 27 homers. A trio of pitchers have found success in the circle, led by Twarowski, who has posted a 1.70 ERA and a 4-3 record. Sara Kinney and Nicole Ayres each have sub-3.00 ERAs for the Rams, who rank among the league's elite with a 2.37 team ERA. Head coach Bridget Orchard is in her sixth season at Fordham with a 186-138-1 record.

Coach John Conway: Conway is in his first season at the helm of the Billikens. Hired in July 2006, Conway came to SLU after leading Fontbonne (Mo.) University to three NCAA Division III Tournaments in four years. He achieved his first win at SLU on Feb. 24 in a 2-0 decision against Northern Iowa. In five seasons overall, Conway has posted a 136-72 career record.

The Atlantic 10: The Billikens find themselves third overall in the A-10 with a 6-2 league record, trailing only perennial league favorites UMass (6-0) and Fordham (9-1). Saint Louis tied for sixth in the Atlantic 10 Conference preseason coaches poll after finishing in that same spot in its inaugural season in the league last year. UMass, which has won 11 of the last 12 conference titles was picked to repeat as league champion. The 2007 Atlantic 10 Softball Tournament, hosted by the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass., will be held May 11-13 and will feature the league's top six teams.

The Billiken Sports Center: The home of SLU softball is The Billiken Sports Center. SLU's first season at the 500-seat facility was in 2000, but the landscape has changed drastically. Over the right field fence, construction is on-going for Chaifetz Arena, SLU's new multi-purpose on-campus arena, which is slated to open in March 2008.

In the Zone: Junior Ashley Levan broke the school record with 20 strikeouts in nine innings against Rhode Island, eclipsing the previous mark of 18 established by Mikki McPherson in 1993. Levan recorded at least one K in every inning and struck out the side on four occasions. Fourteen URI batters fanned swinging, while six were retired looking at the third strike.

Running of the Bills: Saint Louis has already stolen a single-season record 80 bases this season, which leads the Atlantic 10. The Billikens have matched the single-game record of six steals on three occasions.

On Strike: Junior pitchers Lorena Floccari and Ashley Levan already rank in the top five in career strikeouts. Levan's 386 Ks rank third all-time, while Floccari trails with 292, which ranks fourth. In addition, the duo ranks in the top 10 all-time in wins, ERA, appearances and innings pitched.

At the Top: Lorena Floccari earned her fifth career save on March 28 to become the sole leader in the career saves category. She surpassed Nicole Bohnenstiehl, who earned four saves from 2001 to 2003.

One Four the Books: Senior Jill Pursell broke the school record when she scored four runs against Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 18. The previous record for runs scored in a game was three, which was done numerous times.

Seeing Double: Freshman Nicki Jost is closing in on SLU's single-season doubles record. She is currently tied for fourth on the season list with 10 two-baggers, just four shy of the all-time lead. Senior Jill Pursell trails with nine doubles.

You Can Call Me Al: Senior infielder Allison Appenfeller (Leawood, Kan. / Blue Valley North) is hitting .225 ... started all six games at first base last week ...had one of SLU's two hits in the first UMass game ... singled in both games of the Rhode Island doubleheader.

Senior Christy Ernst led the team with a .333 average last week.

Ernst Goes to Camp: Senior infielder Christy Ernst (Lake St. Louis, Mo. / Wentzville Holt) is second on the team with a .358 average ... leads team with a .455 on base percentage ... tied for third on the club with 11 steals ... led team with six hits last week ...went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the second URI game, her second three-hit game of the season ...smacked two hits and scored in the first URI tilt ...doubled in the first UT Martin game.

Buy or Sell?: Senior outfielder Jill Pursell (Pinckneyville, Ill. / Pinckneyville) leads the team with a .392 average ... leads the A-10 with 29 runs scored, just three shy of SLU's single-season record ... leads team with 15 multi-hit games, including six outings with three base knocks ...went 3-for-8 with a run scored in the Rhode Island series ... snapped a career-high 13-game hitting streak at UT Martin.

Long Distance Renner: Senior catcher Jenna Renner (Belleville, Ill. / Althoff) appeared in three games last week ... notched the Billikens' only hit in the second game at UMass.

Side Burns: Junior utility player Jess Burns (Linn, Mo. / Helias) appeared as a pinch runner in three games last week ... scored her seventh run of the season in the second URI tilt.

Ebb and Flow: Junior pitcher Lorena Floccari (Tallmadge, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit) is 7-10 with a 3.81 ERA ... earned the win in the second URI tilt after throwing 6.1 innings and allowing one earned run on five hits.

Speedy Gonzalez: Junior pitcher Rosie Gonzalez (Newton, Kan. / Barton County CC) is third on the team with 15 appearances in the circle and has a 3.12 ERA ...closed out the second URI game after allowing a home run to the first batter she faced ... pitched two-thirds of an inning in the second UT Martin game ... started the first UT Martin contest and earned a no decision after working five innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out four.

Hey Burt: Junior infielder Jody Herbert (Moline, Ill. / Alleman Catholic) has seen playing time in 21 games ...pinch hit in the first UMass game.

Levan on the Edge: Junior pitcher Ashley Levan (Springfield, Ill. / Sacred Heart Griffin) leads the pitching staff with a 2.31 ERA and 126 strikeouts ... broke the school record with 20 strikeouts in the first Rhode Island game, allowing just three hits in the nine-inning affair and walking three ... tagged with the loss in the second UT Martin game after allowing all three Skyhawk runs on seven hits.

Dill Pickle: Sophomore outfielder Annie Dillinger (Dupo, Ill. / Fontbonne) is hitting .248 ... leads the A-10 with 15 stolen bases ...singled twice and scored a run in the doubleheader at Rhode Island ...stroked her seventh double of the year in the first UT Martin tilt.

Sophomore Rachel Heet is tied for the team lead with 21 RBIs.

Bringing the Heet: Sophomore shortstop Rachel Heet (St. Louis, Mo. / Mehlville) is third on the team with a .337 average ... tied for first on the club with 21 RBIs ... hit safely in all but two games last week and stole four bases ...had one of two SLU hits in the first UMass game ...went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, a run scored, a walk and two stolen bases in the second URI game ... doubled and walked in the first URI tilt ...doubled and stole a base in the first game at UT Martin.

Close Shaves: Freshman pitcher/infielder Stacy Gillette (Palatine, Ill. / William Fremd) has made 11 appearances and owns a 1-3 record ...shut down UMass for 2 2/3 innings in the first game of the doubleheader, allowing just two hits in the relief role.

Jost in the Nick of Time: Freshman catcher/outfielder Nicki Jost (St. Louis, Mo. / Oakville) is the only Billiken to play in all 40 games ... is hitting .276 and is tied for first on the team with 21 RBIs ... leads the club with 10 doubles and is second with three home runs ... has stolen 11 bases to tie for third on the team ...singled in both games of the UT Martin doubleheader and stole a career-high two bases in the first game against the Skyhawks.

King for a Day: Freshman pitcher/infielder Kinsley Kelley (St. Peters, Mo. / Fort Zumwalt South) is hitting .240 ... singled in the second game at Rhode Island ...went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the first URI tilt, her seventh multi-hit game of the year.

Miller Time: Freshman pitcher/outfielder Brittany Miller (Germantown, Tenn. / Germantown) appeared as a pinch runner in the second Rhode Island game and scored.

The O.C.: Freshman catcher/infielder Rachel O'Connell (Arlington Heights, Ill. / Hinsdale Central) leads the team with 16 walks ... went 3-for-4 with a double in the UT Martin doubleheader.

I Wanna Be Rich: Freshman infielder Shana Richard (Nashville, Ill. / Nashville Community) is hitting .238 ... is 5-for-5 in the stolen base department ... earned her 11th start of the season in the first UMass game.

Brit-ish Invasion: Freshman infielder Brittney Schmidt (Columbia, Ill. / Columbia) started the last 14 games ... singled in a run in the second Rhode Island tilt ...singled and scored in the first game at UT Martin.

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