MEET THE TEAM | SCHEDULE/RESULTS | NEWS | ALMANAC

April 28, 2008

THIS WEEK: Saint Louis, which plays four games this week, will try to determine its own fate by knocking off Dayton in at least one game this weekend to ensure a spot in its second straight Atlantic 10 Softball Championship. First, the Billikens will travel to Macomb, Ill., for a 3 p.m. nonconference doubleheader against Western Illinois on Tuesday. Then sixth-place SLU will head to Ohio to face the eighth-place Flyers in an 11 a.m. (CT) A-10 twinbill on Saturday, May 3.

SCOUTING THE WESTERWINDS: Western Illinois (8-28) will be looking to snap a three-game skid when SLU comes to town on Tuesday. Senior Samantha Valentine powers the offense with a .417 average, 45 hits, 25 RBIs and 13 walks. The Westerwinds are hitting .251 and score 3.6 runs per game. Junior righty Kamren Ferguson (2-9) and sophomore righty Lori Pankratz (4-10) have been WIU's top pitchers this season. Ferguson leads the squad with a 3.34 ERA and 67 strikeouts, while Pankratz owns team highs of 19 appearances, 14 starts and 84.2 innings pitched. The pitching staff has a 3.94 ERA and allows 4.9 runs per game. Head coach Holly Van Vlymen is in her fourth season at Western Illinois with a 53-74-1 ledger. The Westerwinds lead the series 8-6, but the Billikens have won the last four meetings.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS: Dayton (20-29, 7-11 A-10), which has the week off to prepare for the Billikens, snapped a six-game skid with a 5-3 win over St. Bonaventure in the series finale last weekend. The Flyers have three players hitting better than .300. Mollie Schrank leads the way with a .379 average, 61 hits, 19 sac bunts and 11 stolen bases. UD, which scores 3.9 runs per game and is hitting .273, also has two players with at least 30 RBIs. Senior right-hander Erin Lafayette (10-15) leads the pitching staff with a 3.88 ERA, 37 appearances, 26 starts, 167.2 innings pitched and 101 strikeouts. The Flyers have a 4.29 team ERA and give up 5.1 runs per contest. Cara Clark, who is in her first season as the Dayton head coach, has a 151-158 six-year career mark. SLU, which swept the Flyers last season, leads the series 6-2.

LEADERS OF THE PACK: In conference games through April 27, Saint Louis players lead the A-10 in two statistical categories. Kristin Nicoletti leads the conference with two triples, and Nicki Jost has a league-best 12 stolen bases. SLU has four of the top five base-stealers in the league with Nicoletti in second (11), Caitlin Trevillyan in third (10) and Rachel Heet in fifth (seven).

RANK AND FILE: According to the NCAA statistical rankings through games of April 20, the Billikens are 11th in the nation with 2.04 stolen bases per game. Individually, Kristin Nicoletti is 24th with 0.55 thefts per game, while Nicki Jost is 56th with 0.41 per game.

BEEN CAUGHT STEALIN': The Billikens need just three more stolen bases to tie the school record for stolen bases in a season (107) established last season. SLU has swiped 104 bases this season. Freshman Kristin Nicoletti broke the school record for stolen bases in a game with four against Saint Joseph's on April 5, and later broke the Billikens' single-season standard. She has 28 thefts on the season.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Several players are steadily climbing the SLU single-season charts in various statistical categories. Rachel Heet's 49 hits tie for 10th, her 29 RBIs rank third and her 69 total bases are eighth. Kristin Nicoletti is first with 28 stolen bases and tied for sixth with 28 runs, and Nicki Jost's 21 swipes tie for fourth. Also, Caitlin Trevillyan is tied for eighth with 27 runs scored. In terms of pitching, Stacy Gillette is tied for third with 34 appearances, while Lorena Floccari and Erin Kelly are tied for sixth with 32 appearances apiece.

1-0-0 BARRIER: Earlier this season, junior Rachel Heet became the 16th member of SLU's 100-hit club. She is just the seventh Billiken to achieve the feat in less than three complete seasons. Her 110 hits rank 15th on the SLU career list.

ROOKIES ALL AROUND: Saint Louis' mainstays in the outfield this season have been freshmen. Head coach John Conway has started an all-freshman outfield in 32 of the last 34 games. Kristin Nicoletti leads the rookies with 38 starts, while Allison Hopke trails with 37 and Caitlin Trevillyan has 32.

2008 PROGNOSTICATIONS: After finishing third in the 2007 Atlantic 10 regular-season race, the 2008 Billikens were 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.

THE HEET IS ON: When SLU has needed a big hit, Rachel Heet has been the one to come through with it. Eighteen of Heet's team-high 29 RBIs this season have come with two outs. She also has 22 two-out hits for a .407 average with two down.

HEAD OF THE CLASS: Pitcher Lorena Floccari was 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 was one of just two candidates from the A-10.

RECORD ROMP: In the second win over George Washington on March 22, Saint Louis broke the program record for home runs in a game (3), while three 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.

A WALK IN THE PARK: Saint Louis tied the school record for walks in a game twice this season with nine against 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.

LET IT FLO: Senior Lorena Floccari continues to move up the program's career charts in various statistical categories. She is the Billikens' career leader in saves (6), appearances (140), starts (97) and innings pitched (625.2). Floccari is second in wins (34), third in shutouts (8) and fourth in complete games (54) and strikeouts (402).

OTHER CAREER CLIMBERS: Sophomore Nicki Jost is tied for fourth on the home runs list with eight, her 38 stolen bases rank fifth, her 21 doubles tie for eighth and she ranks ninth with 451 putouts. Junior Rachel Heet is tied for fifth with six triples and ranks sixth with 57 RBIs. Sophomore Rachel O'Connell's 38 walks tie for eighth on the career list and her 15 sac bunts tie for 10th. Freshman Kristin Nicoletti's 28 stolen bases tie for eighth. Meanwhile, sophomore pitcher Stacy Gillette's 58 appearances rank sixth on the career chart and her 125 strikeouts are ninth.

(DON'T) CALL IT A COMEBACK: Thirteen of Saint Louis' 19 wins have been of the come-from-behind variety.

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.

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 165-115-1 career record and a 48-64-1 mark with the Billikens. 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) laid down a sac bunt in the first Rhode Island contest.

PHOTO FINN-ISH: Sophomore pitcher/infielder Morgan Finn (Ogden, Ill. / Lake Land College) did not play last week.

EBB AND FLO: Senior pitcher Lorena Floccari (Tallmadge, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit) leads SLU with a 3.08 ERA ... earned the second Rhode Island victory after scattering five hits, one walk and four strikeouts for two runs ... took the second loss vs. UMass, giving up seven runs on 10 hits and four strikeouts in 3-1/3 innings ... tossed 1/3 inning of relief in game one against the Minutewomen, surrendering one hit for a run.

CLOSE SHAVES: Sophomore pitcher Stacy Gillette (Palatine, Ill. / William Fremd) owns team highs of 135.1 innings pitched, 95 strikeouts, 34 appearances and 24 starts ... picked up the first win over Rhode Island, allowing two runs on eight hits, two walks and six strikeouts ... threw 1-2/3 innings of relief in game two against UMass, scattering three hits and a walk for two runs ... shouldered the loss in the series opener against the Minutewomen after allowing eight runs on 10 hits, a walk and three strikeouts in 3-1/3 innings.

TURN UP THE HEET: Junior infielder Rachel Heet (St. Louis, Mo. / Mehlville) leads the Billikens with a .331 average, a .466 slugging percentage, 49 hits, 29 RBIs, eight doubles, three triples, 76 assists, 11 multiple-hit games and eight multi-RBI games ... went 1-for-2 with two runs, two stolen bases, an RBI and a walk in the series finale against Rhode Island ... had two hits in the UMass series finale ... drew a walk in the first contest against the Minutewomen.

IT'S HERBIE HANCOCK: Senior infielder Jody Herbert (Moline, Ill. / Alleman Catholic) singled and scored a run in the first Rhode Island game ... entered the second UMass tilt as a sub at third base.

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

HIPPITY HOP-KE: Freshman outfielder Allison Hopke (Vandalia, Mo. / Van-Far) went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk in the first Rhode Island game ... earned a free pass in the first UMass tilt.

JOHNNIE ON THE SPOT: Junior catcher/first baseman Katie Johns (The Dalles, Ore. / Wash U) singled and stole a base in the second Rhode Island game ... was hit by a pitch and scored in the opening game against the Rams ... went 1-for-2 in the first UMass contest.

JOST IN THE NICK OF TIME: Sophomore catcher/outfielder Nicki Jost (St. Louis, Mo. / Oakville) has a team-high 210 putouts and is tied for the team lead with 17 walks and three home runs ... singled, drove in two runs, was hit by a pitch and swiped a base in the second Rhode Island contest ... homered, walked twice and stole a base in the first win over the Rams ... singled in the series finale against UMass.

KELLY GREEN: Freshman pitcher Erin Kelly (River Forest, Ill. / Fenwick) leads the pitching staff with nine wins ... threw 1-1/3 innings of relief in the series opener against UMass, giving up five runs on two hits, two walks and two strikeouts.

NICOL AND DIME: Freshman outfielder Kristin Nicoletti (St. Louis, Mo. / Oakville) leads the Bills with 28 stolen bases ... stole two bases, singled, drove in a run and scored twice in the Rhode Island series finale.

THE O.C.: Sophomore infielder Rachel O'Connell (Arlington Heights, Ill. / Hinsdale Central) is tied for the team lead with 17 walks and eight sac bunts ... drew a walk in game two against Rhode Island ... walked and scored in the series opener against the Rams.

OKEE DOKEE: Freshman outfielder Keri O'Keefe (Tremont, Ill. / Tremont) entered the first game against Rhode Island as a sub in the outfield.

POL POSITION: Freshman outfielder Jenna Polacek (Omaha, Neb. / Marian) did not play last week.

I WANNA BE RICH: Sophomore utility player Shana Richard (Hoyleton, Ill. / Nashville) came into the second UMass contest as a sub at second base.

JUST A LITTLE BRIT: Sophomore infielder Brittney Schmidt (Columbia, Ill. / Columbia) is tied for the team lead with eight sac bunts ... had an RBI single in the Rhode Island series finale ... drove in two runs, singled, scored and had a sac bunt in the first win over the Rams ... went 1-for-2 in the UMass series opener.

CT SCAN: Freshman utility player Caitlin Trevillyan (Grayslake, Ill. / Carmel) lead the team with a .385 on-base percentage and is tied for the team lead with three homers and 17 walks ... walked and reached on catcher's interference in the second Rhode Island tilt ... went 1-for-3 with two RBI in the first game against the Rams ... was hit by a pitch and stole a base in the first UMass tilt.

Saint Louis Billikens Softball

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