Softball Faces Scoring Struggle Against Saint Louis

Loyola softball lost 2-1 in a three-game series against Saint Louis University March 21-22. The Billikens shut out the Ramblers in the first two games with redshirt second-year pitcher and utility Anna Christ and first-year pitcher Riley Nelson holding the Ramblers at bay. Third-year pitcher Brooke Steinhorst earned the win for the Ramblers in game three.

Saint Louis set the tone early in game one of the series by taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Third-year outfielder Karsen Jany and fourth-year catcher and utility player Abby Mallo were the first two on base after both were walked.

Following advancements to second on a sacrifice bunt from Billikens’ third-year infielder Abby Ulsas and to third after Christ walked, Jany stole home on a catcher’s error. Mallo made it home after second-year catcher and pitcher Scout Gallagher singled to left field.

After quick strikeouts of Loyola’s batters in the second inning, the Billikens notched another three runs to widen the lead to 5-0 in the top of the third. With Mallo on base from a single and advancing on a double from third-year infielder Sophia Boente, Christ stepped up to the plate to knock one out of the park for a three-run homer.

The following three innings saw little action from both teams. The Billikens secured the win in the top of the seventh with Christ up first at the plate to smash her second homer of the game to defeat Loyola 6-0.

Game two saw a slow start until the top of the third when the Billikens’ Boente scored the first run. She reached first on an infielder error after second-year third baseman Addyson Borg threw to third-year first baseman Nat Lesnicki, who dropped it. Boente advanced on a groundout from Jany and a single from third-year infielder Anna Rolla. With an Ulsas single, Boente made it home.

Saint Louis widened the lead in the fourth by notching five more runs. Christ was first at-bat, walked and had first-year utility player Allie Branstetter step in as a pinch runner. Branstetter reached home after Gallagher walked and second-year utility Kate Profitt singled.

Gallagher and Profitt both advanced on a flyout from Boente and were brought home on a double from first-year outfielder Ava Wombles. With a fly out from Jany and a single from Ulsas, Wombles scored the fifth run to take the 6-0 lead. Loyola then made a pitching change as third-year utility player Maddy Hickey stepped in to close out the game.

No runs were scored in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Billikens closed out the game with two more in the top of the seventh. Branstetter reached first on a fielder’s choice, and Gallagher stepped up to send in a two-run homer. The bottom of the inning saw three quick strikeouts on Loyola’s end to finish the game 8-0 for the Billikens.

Saint Louis took a 2-0 lead to start the series closer the next day. Jany scored the first run after being walked, advancing on a sacrifice bunt from Ulsas and reaching third on an error from Ramblers’ Lesnicki. A fielding error on a Mallo hit sent Jany across home. 

Mallo quickly advanced to third when Stephens reached on another infielder error. A fly out from Gallagher allowed Mallo to cross the plate. 

Loyola scored their first run of the series in the bottom of the third with a first-year outfielder Megan Piotrowski run. After being walked, she stole second and reached home after Lesnicki hit one into center field.

Both second-year outfielder Averi Vander Woude and Piotrowski walked, advancing first-year outfielder Mackenzie Patterson to third. A single from Lesnicki brought Patterson in to tie at two. With no action in the fourth, Loyola took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the fifth. After being hit by a pitch, fourth-year outfielder Sierra Sass walked to first and managed to steal second. With a single to left from Patterson, Sass rounded the bases to make it home.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Ramblers secured the 4-2 win over the Billikens. Piotrowski reached first on an infielder’s error and advanced by stealing second. With a single to center field from Lesnicki, Piotrowski scored the final run of the game to finish the series against Saint Louis 2-1.  

After facing two shutouts and not being able to hold back the Billikens’ offense, head coach Alicia Abbott said the Ramblers have things to work on, but looked positively on the outcome.

“[Lesnicki] was absolutely a catalyst at the plate, with four 4-for-4 days, never to be spat on in any capacity,” Abbott said. “Defensively, we absolutely have to clean things up, but we responded well when things didn’t go our way. Now it’s how do we shift the mindset from ‘it’s about me’, to ‘it’s about how do we do this together?’ That’s a big step forward for us this week, but we’ll take the win anyway we can get it.”

The Ramblers will return to Loyola Softball Park March 24 to face off against the No. 17 University of Washington. The game is set to start at 3 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.