(Courtesy Saint Louis Athletics)
Lindsay Friedman had three hits and three RBIs, and Saint Louis took advantage of six Saint Joseph’s errors in a 9-3 Atlantic 10 Conference win over the Hawks Saturday afternoon at the Billiken Sports Center.
Kelsey Biggs added two hits and two RBIs for the Billikens, who improved to 19-16 overall and 6-3 in the A-10. Saint Joseph’s fell to 13-14, 3-3.
Saint Joseph’s plated single runs in the first and second innings before SLU pulled even in the third. Hailey Weavers drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on Alex Nickel’s sacrifice. Friedman singled with two away, and Weavers scored on the play when the left fielder bobbled the ball. Friedman broke for second on the misplay, then came around to score when the left fielder threw wildly.
The Billikens scored five times in the fourth. Mackenzie Peter ignited the rally with a one-out single, Macie Wheeler reached on an error and Weavers singled to load the bases. Nickel hit a ground ball to the shortstop, whose throw to the plate was wide and allowed Peter to score.
Ellie Huffman’s single scored pinch runner Katie Kroeger, and Friedman followed with a single that scored Weavers. Nickel was thrown out trying to score, but Biggs delivered a two-out double that chased home Huffman and Friedman to make it 7-2 Billikens.
Saint Louis added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth. Nickel led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on Huffman’s single. After pinch runner Brittany Durant swiped second, Friedman smashed a two-run double.
Brianna Lore and Elizabeth Everingham added a single apiece to SLU’s 12-hit attack.
Lore pitched the first five innings, striking out four, allowing eight hits and walking two. She worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning after Saint Joseph’s scored to go on top 2-0, and she stranded two Saint Joseph’s runners in the third and again in the fifth.
Laney Kneib tossed the sixth and seventh frames. Kneib fanned four and yielded one unearned run and one hit.
The Billikens play a single game at SIUE Tuesday, April 15. Game time is 4 p.m.