Having dropped the first game of a series at Fordham in the bottom of the seventh inning, the ºüÀêÊÓƵ University softball team’s Atlantic 10 championship chances were precarious at best.
The Billikens responded with two wins to keep hope alive. To coach Christy Connoyer, those were championship-level games.
Now, they face potentially three more before the A-10 tournament even starts.
SLU (28-18 overall, 15-8 conference) will face Dayton (28-18, 17-6) at home this weekend, starting with a Saturday doubleheader at noon, and must sweep the Flyers to win another regular-season championship. The second-place Billikens again have outperformed the preseason expectation of league coaches, who picked them to finish fourth.
Connoyer wants the title but knows that SLU is assured of receiving a bye in the first round of the postseason tournament May 8-11 at Fordham.
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“We talk all year about getting to a championship game,†she said. “That Fordham game Sunday was a championship game in the sense that if you win, you control your own destiny. We put ourselves in position.â€
Part of putting themselves in position was a willingness to switch positions.
Connoyer has numerous players who started at SLU playing in one spot and moved to create the best fits for everyone, and thus for the team.
Cami Newbanks, who leads the team with 42 RBI, started as a catcher and first baseman but now patrols center field. Kendall Johnson was at shortstop as a freshman and has moved to third base. Power-hitting Abby Mallo has moved from third to catcher to right field.
In some cases, veteran players have made way for up-and-coming Billikens.
“That’s what I think is special about our team,†Connoyer said. “We have solid depth and aren’t built around one kid. Abby Mallo was at third base last year, and I wanted her to work with our freshmen pitchers this season for the longevity of the program. They are versatile athletes.â€
SLU has challenged for the top of the A-10 after losing workhorse pitcher Chloe Wendling. Taylor Hochman has anchored the group that includes two freshmen. A third freshman pitcher suffered a season-ending injury in February.
The offense has been potent top to bottom all season. SLU leads the A-10 with a .292 average, 239 runs and 34 homers.
Freshman Abby Ulsas (Summit) leads the team with a .362 average and 38 runs. Jane Kaniecki (Waterloo) and Natalie Sullivan (Troy Buchanan) also are above .300. Mallo’s 10 homers lead the Billikens, but they have power throughout the lineup.
“We’ve got three players pushing double digits (homers),†Connoyer said. “Anyone one through nine can hit it out, so there’s power potential. One through nine, with a swing of the bat, we can take the lead or clear the bases.â€
If not for several losses that came in the seventh inning, the Billikens would be positioned better entering the weekend. Connoyer hopes the late wins have balanced the late losses.
At Fordham, they surrendered two runs in the bottom of the seventh and lost 3-2. In the second game, they scored in the top of the seventh to win 4-3.
“There are some we won late. We’ve walked off two or three,†Connoyer said. “They always feel like they don’t balance out because (the losses) hurt. That’s the game. We were in position to win whether we were down to the last strike and lost or the last strike and won.â€