April 18, 2008

Game One Box Score |  Game Two Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - (Thursday, April 17, 2008) The Redhawks softball team concluded the non-conference portion of their schedule in victorious fashion, winning both games of an afternoon doubleheader 6-0 and 2-1 against regional rival Saint Louis University at the Billiken Sports Center. The two wins moved the Redhawks back to .500 as they improved to 21-21 and a perfect 3-0 record against the Billikens this season.

The day started with a masterful performance by ace Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, MO/Francis Howell North) in game one and ended with her finishing off the Billikens (16-28-1) in game two. She picked up the victory in both games as she combined to throw 9.1 innings of shutout ball allowing only two hits, striking out 10 and not issuing a single walk.

Fisher was in control from the beginning of game one as she held the Billikens hitless through the first 5.1 innings before Keri O'Keefe singled to rightfield to ruin her no-hitter bid. Instead she settled for her fourth career one-hitter and third this season.

For the 20th time in 25 starts Fisher finished what she started as she picked up her career-high sixth shutout of the season. She struckout six Billikens in seven innings of work.

The Redhawks gave her all the run support she needed in the fifth inning. Stacia Dopudja (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Santa Margarita Catholic) singled to leftfield to plate Jennifer Vasquez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado) to give them a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the seventh the Redhawks exploded for five runs. Allie Borowiak (Nashville, IL/John A. Logan CC) led off the inning reaching base after getting hit by a pitch. Michelle Summers (Glendale, CA/Hoover) attempted to move her over on a sacrifice bunt but ended up on first after the Billikens committed a throwing error. Vasquez then singled to left center to load the bases for Megan McDonald (Cape Girardeau, MO/Cape Central).

McDonald answered with a scorching double to left field to clear the bases. Dopudja then collected her second hit of the game as she doubled to right center to force McDonald home and eventually scored on an Alex Ramirez (Corona, CA/El Modena) groundout for the final run of the game.

McDonald went 2-3 for her 16th multi-hit game of the season. Her double in the seventh inning moved her into a first-place tie with Summers for the school record for career doubles with 45.

Dopudja went 2-4 with a double and two RBIs and Vasquez went 1-3 with two runs scored.

Stacy Gillette (3-13) received the loss for the Billikens as she allowed six runs on five hits and four walks in six innings of work.

Fisher game one performance moved her into fifth place all-time in career shutouts (18).

In game two Fisher continued her domination of the Billikens offense as she recorded her second win of the day, this time in relief. She allowed only one hit in 2.1 innings of work while striking out four of the eight batters she faced including Nicki Jost to end the game.

The Billikens struck first with a run in the fourth and then threatened for more in the fifth but that was ended by Carmen Fowler (Lawrenceville, GA/Collins Hill) who threw out the speedy Jost at home with a perfect connection with Ramirez.

Trailing 1-0, Borowiak singled up the middle to start the sixth inning. Vasquez then collected a one-out double to left center that moved Borowiak to third. McDonald then hit a hard liner to third baseman Jody Herbert who had Vasquez doubled off at second base put threw the ball over the second baseman's head into rightfield that allowed Borowiak to score and Vasquez to move to third. Dopudja then stepped up and collected her third RBI of the day with a single up the middle for the 2-1 lead.

Starter Whitney Dupuis (Sulphur, LA/Sulphur) was solid in her start despite not getting a decision. She allowed one run on five hits in 4.2 innings. She struckout three while not issuing a walk.

Borowiak snapped out of her recent slump with a 2-3 performance to lead the Redhawks offensively.

Summers reached yet another milestone as she collected her 639th career at bat to move her into first on the all-time list.

Fisher's four strikeouts moved her into first place with 476 career strikeouts and her victory moved her into a fifth place tie for career wins with 51. The win also gave her 16 wins this season, setting a new career high.

Her two wins against the Billikens improved her to 4-1 against the northern rivals.

Lorena Floccari (4-11) received the tough-luck loss as she earned the complete game but not the win. She allowed two runs on six hits striking out three.

The Redhawks head back into Ohio Valley Conference action this weekend as they host second-place Morehead State for a three game series at the Southeast Softball Complex starting with a Saturday doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. and concluding on Sunday. The series is the beginning of a crucial stretch of games as the Redhawks jockey for position in the OVC standings.