(Courtesy Saint Louis Athletics)
The Billiken softball team drew 14 walks in a doubleheader against Massachusetts, helping them to a sweep of the Minutewomen, 2-1 and 6-4. Southpaw Brianna Lore (10-7) picked up the win in both contests. The Bills rise to 14-11 overall and 2-0 in Atlantic 10 action.
Game one was a pitchers dual between Lore and UMass’s Caroline Raymond. The Billikens could only manage two hits off Raymond, but stayed patient at the plate, drawing eight walks against her.
Saint Louis open the scoring in the first, with Mackenzie Peter drawing a bases loaded walk, scoring Lindsay Friedman.
UMass tied the score in the third to bring the tally to 1-1 through three.
The difference-maker came in the fifth inning, when Peter stepped in with the bases loaded and one out. She ripped a single to left field, scoring the eventual winning run. In game one, Peter was 2-2 with two RBIs and a walk.
Both offenses woke up in game two of the twinbill. UMass scored twice in the first to put the Bills down early. The Billikens responded with a three-run second to take a 3-2 lead to the third inning.
The Minutewomen scored twice in the third, but Saint Louis bounced back with a Elizabeth Everingham solo shot to center field, tying the game at four.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Friedman brought the fireworks. She came to bat with the go-ahead run at first. Freidman deposited the second pitch of the at bat over the wall in left center to give SLU a 6-4 lead late in the game.
Two runs was all the cushion Lore needed to close out the seventh, where she blanked UMass, and earned her tenth win of the season.
In the two games, the Billikens collected 11 hits, 14 walks and had three hit by pitches, posting a .467 on-base percentage in the series.
Lore was strong against the Minutewomen, thowing ten innings, scattering six hits and two walks while striking out three. UMass hit .167 against her in the series.
Up next for SLU is a mid-week showdown against Missouri Valley foe Southern Illinois on March 26. First pitch for the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m. at the Billiken Sports Center.
