04/17/07

The Saints have had numerous home-openers postponed because of weather, field conditions, or both, so far this season. Finally, they got to play on their home field on Tuesday afternoon but just their luck, they had to play hosts to the fifth-ranked team in the nation, UW-Eau Claire.

Still, St. Scholastica (8-11) jumped out front early with a run in the bottom of the first but eventually fell to the Blugolds (18-7) in the first of two games, 7-1.

Lead off batter Chelsey Weiss legged out a grounder deep in the hole to short to start the bottom half of the first inning for the Saints. She moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt and, after Gina Garramone was walked, came around to score on a Rilee Dawson single up the middle that put runners on the corners with only one out.

The Saints couldn't bring Garramone or Dawson in, though, and had to settle for a 1-0 lead.

The Saints had a runner at second with only one out in the bottom of the second inning but failed to bring Kayla Kahilainen around after she had reached on a single and then stole second.

Eau Claire scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third to tie the score, then two more in the fourth to grab the lead from the Saints.

Down only 3-1, St. Scholastica put a runner on in both the fourth and fifth innings but were unable to bring them around to cut into the lead.

Saints starter Amy Jansen had given up some hits and worked out of a few jams, but she and the Saints were still in the game going into the sixth.

A couple of singles and a walk between a fielder's choice and fly out left the bases jammed with two outs.

Mallory McKinney worked Jansen to a full count before sending the next pitch over the left field fence for a back-breaking grand slam that put the Blugolds up 7-1.

St. Scholastica put two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh but Kristi Doucette, relieving Eau Claire starter Bri Sturm for the final inning, induced a pair of ground outs to close out the win for the Blugolds.

Jansen (3-6) took the loss for the Saints after allowing seven runs, six earned, with three walks and five strikeouts over seven innings. Doucette improved to 3-0 surrendering only one run to the Saints on six hits, two walks and three strikeouts.