MEET THE TEAM | SCHEDULE/RESULTS | NEWS | ALMANAC

March 25, 2008

THIS WEEK: The Saint Louis softball team will try to extend its winning streak when non-conference opponent Indiana State comes to town for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday, March 26, at The Billiken Sports Center. Then the Billikens (11-15, 2-0 Atlantic 10), who have won six of their last nine games, travel to Philadelphia to begin the A-10 portion of the week on Friday, March 28, against La Salle at 2 p.m. (CT). SLU will close out the series with an 11 a.m. (CT) contest against the Explorers the following day before making its way to Bronx, N.Y., for an 11 a.m. (CT) doubleheader against Fordham on Sunday, March 30.

SCOUTING THE SYCAMORES: Indiana State (8-13), which has dropped five of its last six games, will be looking to snap a three-game skid when it takes on the Billikens. Senior right-hander Darcy Wood (4-2) leads the Sycamores with a 2.35 ERA and 49 strikeouts. The ISU pitching staff has a 3.96 ERA and allows 4.6 runs per game. Junior Meredith Simpson is hitting .298 with team highs of 17 hits, 10 runs, 11 RBIs and eight stolen bases. Indiana State is hitting .235 as a team and scores 2.9 runs per contest. Both squads have faced UT Martin, UMKC, Arkansas and Missouri State this season. The Sycamores are 2-4 against those foes while the Billikens are 1-4. Head coach Brenda Coldren is in her seventh season at ISU with a 97-175 mark. Her 11-year career record is 188-259. Indiana State leads the series 8-3, including a marathon 5-4, 14-inning victory in Terre Haute in the last meeting. This will be the first time the two teams have played in St. Louis since the 1981 campaign.

SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS: La Salle (8-12, 2-4 A-10) travels to Georgetown for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 25, before hosting the Bills. The Explorers were swept by Massachusetts last weekend and have split their series with George Washington and Rhode Island. Sophomore Mary Pat Conville leads the team with a .388 average, 26 hits, 13 runs, five doubles, a .493 slugging percentage and a .423 on-base percentage. La Salle is hitting .277 and scores 4.2 runs per game. Sophomore righty Laura Beth McCreesh (5-1) leads the Explorers with a 4.01 ERA, eight appearances, five complete games, two shutouts, 42.2 innings pitched and 23 strikeouts. The pitching staff, which has a 5.81 ERA, gives up 5.6 runs per contest. Joe DiPietro is in his seventh season at La Salle with a 73-159-1 career mark. The series is tied 2-2. La Salle eked out just one hit in the last meeting in 2007, but it was enough for the 1-0 victory.

SCOUTING THE RAMS: Fordham (10-17, 2-2 A-10), which finished just ahead of Saint Louis in second place in the 2007 league race, takes on Wagner and Iona in a pair of mid-week doubleheaders before hosting the Billikens on Sunday, March 30. Junior Melissa Andrews powers the offense with a team-high .333 average, 23 runs, 31 hits and eight stolen bases. The Rams are hitting .276 and score 4.4 runs per game. Senior right-hander Allison Twarowski (4-5) leads the squad with a 2.30 ERA and three complete games. Fordham's pitching staff has a 3.79 ERA and yields 5.0 runs per contest. Head coach Bridget Orchard is in her seventh season at Fordham with a 210-162-1 record. Her career mark is 339-204-3 in 11 seasons. The Rams lead the series 5-1. SLU got the all-important win last season, defeating Fordham 4-2 to advance to the A-10 Championship title game after falling to the Rams 10-2 in the second round.

2008 PROGNOSTICATIONS: After finishing third in the 2007 Atlantic 10 regular-season race, the 2008 Billikens have been selected to finish third in the preseason coaches poll. Defending champion Massachusetts was chosen to finish first, while Fordham followed in second place. Charlotte and Temple round out the top five in fourth and fifth, respectively.

HEAD OF THE CLASS: Pitcher Lorena Floccari has been selected as one of 30 candidates for the 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. The accolade, which is presented annually to NCAA Division I student-athletes in eight sports, focuses on the "Four C's" of classroom, character, community and competition. Floccari is one of just two candidates from the A-10.

RECORD ROMP: In the second win over George Washington last weekend, Saint Louis broke the program record for home runs in a game (3) while four single-game records were tied during the performance. Caitlin Trevillyan tied the standard for home runs (2) and RBIs (4) in a game, and Rachel Heet also posted four RBIs in the victory. Meanwhile, Nicki Jost stole a school-record tying three bases.

BEEN CAUGHT STEALIN': The Billikens are well on their way to breaking the school record for stolen bases in season (107) established in 2007. SLU has swiped 46 bases this season, which ranks sixth on the single-season list. Kristin Nicoletti and Nicki Jost have each tied the record for stolen bases in a game with three. Jost leads the squad with 11 thefts while Nicoletti trails with nine.

A WALK IN THE PARK: Saint Louis tied the school record for walks in a game twice this season with nine against both Northern Illinois and Florida Atlantic. The standard was established last season against Bucknell. Rookie Caitlin Trevillyan also tied the single-game mark for an individual player with three free passes against NIU.

BEAN BALL: Junior, and first-year transfer, Katie Johns has already been hit by a pitch five times this season, which ties for sixth on SLU's single-season chart and ties for ninth on the career list.

LET IT FLO: Senior Lorena Floccari continues to move up the program's career charts in various statistical categories. Earlier this season, she shattered the program standard for games started and now has 85 for her career. Floccari is also the Billikens' career leader in saves (6) and appearances (125). She ranks second in innings pitched (559.1), tied for second in wins (31), third in shutouts (8) and fourth in complete games (49) and strikeouts (364).

OTHER CAREER CLIMBERS: Sophomore Nicki Jost is tied for fifth on the home runs list with seven, her 28 stolen bases tie for seventh on the career chart and her 20 doubles are ninth. Meanwhile, junior Rachel Heet is tied for seventh with five triples in her career. Heet, Katie Johns and Brittney Schmidt are tied for ninth after being hit by a pitch five times in their respective careers.

GO `FOUR' IT: When the Billikens score at least four runs, they are 8-1 this season. However, when its opponents produce four or more runs, SLU is just 4-11.

(DON'T) CALL IT A COMEBACK: Eight of Saint Louis' 11 wins have been come-from behind efforts. Only the Jackson State, Army and Liberty wins saw the Billikens post an early lead and sustain it for the victory.

THE HEET IS ON: When SLU has needed a big hit, Rachel Heet has typically been the one to come through with it. Eleven of Heet's team-high 14 RBIs this season have come with two outs. She also has 10 two-out hits for a .435 average.

AND YOUR NAME IS?: Billiken fans will notice some unfamiliar faces on the field this season as the 2008 softball squad features 10 new players. SLU's 10 newcomers include eight freshmen and two transfers.

A SEASON TO REMEMBER: To say that the 2007 Saint Louis Billiken softball season was a success would be a huge understatement. Last season, first-year head coach John Conway led his team to a program-best 29 victories and its first appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship. The 2007 squad established team records in slugging percentage, games played, at bats, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases, walks, stolen bases, innings pitched, pitching strikeouts and putouts.

ROOKIE RECORDS: Nicki Jost made quite an impact in her first season on the Saint Louis softball team. She set freshmen program standards in nearly every offensive category, including games played (62), games started (59), at bats (186), runs scored (33), hits (53), doubles (14), home runs (5), RBIs (28) and total bases (82).

COACH John Conway: Head coach John Conway is in his second season as the Billiken skipper after leading Saint Louis to a program-best 29 wins in his first year. Conway, who came to SLU after four seasons as head coach at Division III Fontbonne, owns a 157-99 career record. His staff is comprised of assistant coach Bill Rosner, pitching coach Russell Cooper, volunteer assistant Dr. Terry Moore and graduate assistant Kendra McNichols.

SISTER KRISTAIN: Freshman infielder Kristain Burger (Chaffee, Mo. / Notre Dame) had a season-high 12 putouts to go with a sac bunt in the second George Washington contest ... went 1-for-3 in SLU's first game against the Colonials.

PHOTO FINN-ISH: Sophomore pitcher/infielder Morgan Finn (Ogden, Ill. / Lake Land College) did not play in the GW doubleheader due to injury.

EBB AND FLO: Senior pitcher Lorena Floccari (Tallmadge, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit) earned the game-two win over GW after giving up one run and one hit while striking out one in the final inning ... tossed the first five innings against the Colonials in game one, surrendering three hits for two runs while fanning a season-high seven batters.

CLOSE SHAVES: Sophomore pitcher Stacy Gillette (Palatine, Ill. / William Fremd) tossed the first five innings of the second contest against the Colonials, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while fanning four.

TURN UP THE HEET: Junior infielder Rachel Heet (St. Louis, Mo. / Mehlville) was named A-10 Player of the Week for the period ending March 23 ... leads the team with a .342 average, 26 hits, 14 RBIs, two triples and 42 assists ... tied the school record with four RBIs in the game-two victory over GW, also contributed a run and two hits, including her first homer of the season ... her bases-clearing double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh gave SLU the come-from-behind win over the Colonials in game one, went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two doubles and a stolen base.

IT'S HERBIE HANCOCK: Senior third baseman Jody Herbert (Moline, Ill. / Alleman Catholic) did not play in the GW doubleheader.

TORA, TORA, TORI: Freshman outfielder Tori Holland (Columbia, Mo. / Hallsville) did not play against GW due to injury.

HIPPITY HOP-KE: Freshman outfielder Allison Hopke (Vandalia, Mo. / Van-Far) went 2-for-4 with a run and a walk in the second GW tilt ... drove in a run in the first game against the Colonials.

JOHNNIE ON THE SPOT: Junior catcher/first baseman Katie Johns (The Dalles, Ore. / Wash U) leads the team with 12 walks and has been hit by a team-high five pitches ... started both games against George Washington as the designated player ... had a sac bunt and a stolen base in SLU's game-one victory over the Colonials.

JOST IN THE NICK OF TIME: Sophomore catcher/outfielder Nicki Jost (St. Louis, Mo. / Oakville) has recorded a team-high six doubles and 11 stolen bases ... tied the school record with three stolen bases in game two against the Colonials, also had two hits and a double in the victory ... scored a run and stole a base in the first GW game.

KELLY GREEN: Freshman pitcher Erin Kelly (River Forest, Ill. / Fenwick) pitched five innings of relief in game two against GW, surrendering seven hits and a walk for four runs while striking out five ... picked up the win in the first game against the Colonials after tossing two innings of two-hit relief while fanning one and allowing one run.

NICOL AND DIME: Freshman outfielder Kristin Nicoletti (St. Louis, Mo. / Oakville) leads the squad with 14 runs scored ... posted a hit, two runs and a stolen base in the second game against GW ... scored a run in the first GW contest.

THE O.C.: Sophomore infielder Rachel O'Connell (Arlington Heights, Ill. / Hinsdale Central) went 2-for-5 with two runs scored in the game-two victory over George Washington.

OKEE DOKEE: Freshman outfielder Keri O'Keefe (Tremont, Ill. / Tremont) entered both GW games as a pinch runner.

POL POSITION: Freshman outfielder Jenna Polacek (Omaha, Neb. / Marian) scored a run in the second GW tilt.

I WANNA BE RICH: Sophomore utility player Shana Richard (Hoyleton, Ill. / Nashville) did not play in the GW doubleheader.

JUST A LITTLE BRIT: Sophomore infielder Brittney Schmidt (Columbia, Ill. / Columbia) had two hits in SLU's second win over the Colonials ... went 2-for-3 with a run scored in game one against George Washington.

CT SCAN: Freshman utility player Caitlin Trevillyan (Grayslake, Ill. / Carmel) boasts a team-high .528 slugging pct., a .470 on-base pct. and three home runs ... tied the school standards for home runs (2) and RBIs (4) in a game in SLU's game-two victory over George Washington ... her three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 11th gave the Bills the A-10 sweep over GW ... went 1-for-3 with a run, a walk and a stolen base in game one against GW.

Saint Louis Billikens Softball

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