Spring Break
Softball struggles continue in games against St. Louis
Chris Smith
Issue date: 4/7/09 Section: Sports
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After Friday afternoon's game was suspended due to rain in the second inning, the Rams tried to overcome a 3-0 deficit Saturday afternoon. Game one picked up at the start of the bottom of the second inning. The Bilikens retired the first three Rhody batters and held onto their 3-0 lead until the bottom of the seventh.
The Rams loaded the bases off three singles with just one out. Rhody was only able to get one run in the inning as Stefani Poedubicky drove in her third RBI of the year. Sophomore Stacey Stanovich took the loss allowing three runs off six hits in three innings.
In game two, St. Louis jumped out to a 2-0 lead once again as leftfielder Erin Cejka hit an RBI double in the top of the first inning. The Rams battled back to tie the game scoring one run in the fourth on an RBI single by freshman Nicole Massoni and another in fifth on an RBI double by freshman Courtney Prendergastt.
Both teams had opportunities to take a lead in the seventh inning. The Bilikens led off the inning with a double, but Rhody starting freshman pitcher Alison Hartzell, who struck out a season high 12 batters, was able to get out of the jam and held St. Louis scoreless. Rhody had two runners in scoring position with just one out. Prendergastt struck out swinging and Leah Dibussolo popped out to end the threat extending the game into extra innings.
"Courtney is a real tough kid, I've been asking her to do a lot and she has done everything I have asked her to do," head coach Erin Layton said. "It's tough that the team has kind of become dependent on her. Hitting is something that is hard to do. You are going to fail 70 percent of the time. I can't be angry with her approach at the plate today. You want her to come through in that situation, but she didn't. We can only learn from it."
In the top of the eighth the Bilikens took control of the game. Rhody looked like they were going to get through the inning without a problem as Hartzell retired the first two batters. But after a walk to Cejka, Kelly Flanagan homered to right centerfield.
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