March 23, 2010

Box Score |  Notes

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ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Saint Louis hit a two-run walk-off home run to beat the University of Memphis softball team 5-4 in the ninth inning in game two of a doubleheader on Tuesday.

The two teams split the doubleheader with Memphis winning game one, 1-0 on a one-hit shutout by freshman Carly Hummel.

The Tigers came back from an early 3-0 deficit to tie the game and force extra innings. With the international tie-breaker rule in place and a runner starting on second in each extra frame, Memphis put the first run across in the top of the ninth inning. Cheyenne Mascarenas gave Memphis its first lead with a run on a two-out error at shortstop on a ball hit by Heather Mott.

The Billikens came right back in the bottom of the ninth as Laura Bohning hit a two-run shot to left field to end the game. Bohning finished 2-for-4 with a double and a home run and was the only player to record a hit off Memphis reliever Lauren Carley.

Memphis falls to 14-10 on the season and is 4-7 in one-run games and 1-2 in extra innings this year. Saint Louis improves to 12-10.

Carley came into the game in relief with two outs in the third inning and pitched the final 5 1/3. She allowed just the two hits and struck out six. The loss drops the junior to 1-2 on the season.

Game one starter Kelcie Matesa picked up the win in relief, pitching the final 1 2/3 innings. Matesa (6-5) allowed one unearned run on no hits and struck out one. Hannah Huebbe started the game for SLU and allowed three runs on four hits in 7 1/3. She struck out five and walked six.

Vanessa Walle started the game for Memphis and allowed three runs, one earned, in 2 2/3 innings on five hits.

The Billikens took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a RBI single by Kelly Flanagan to score Rachel O'Connell who had reached on a double. Saint Louis increased its lead to 3-0 with two unearned runs in the third inning. Kristin Nicoletti reached on a one-out error to second base and scored on a passed ball. Flanagan later knocked in her second RBI in the game with a double down the right line to score Nicki Jost.

The Tigers came back in the top of the fourth to tie the score with three runs in the inning. After a one-out walk to Leigh Rowan, Maddie McKinley knocked her in with a RBI double to right center. McKinley then stole third and scored on a passed ball. Shanna Brown scored the third run in the inning. She drew a two-out walk and reached second on the passed ball. Brown then stole third and scored when the throw from the catcher went into left field.

Neither team managed to bring in a run during the rest of regulation. Memphis left 10 runners on base in the game compared to five by Saint Louis.

The Tigers will next travel to Tulsa for a three-game Conference USA series on Saturday and Sunday.