Feb. 5, 2000

Box Score

No. 22 UIC 7, No. 15 Long Beach State 6

UIC used a four-run sixth inning to rally for a 7-6 victory over 15th-ranked Long Beach State. Edel Leyden and Jennifer Tiffany combined for four RBI while sophomore Rory Gonzales-Gould picked up the win for the Flames.

UIC faced its first deficit of the season when 49ers jumped to an early 2-0 lead after Long Beach State first baseman Jessica Smith nailed a two-run homer with two outs in the first. UIC came back to knot the score at 2-2 in the top of the first, thanks to RBI's from Leyden and Emily Webster.

LBSU went back ahead, 3-2, in the bottom of the second and held the lead until the fifth inning, when Stefanie Christoferson hit a long fly to left field that brought Tiffany across the place for the tying run.

UIC struck its most damaging blow in the sixth inning, erupting for four runs to gain a 7-3 advantage in the top of the inning. Amber Stachura started off the inning with a double and Julie Bumgardner walked to give UIC runners at first and second. Then, after two Flame strikeouts, Leyden hit a two-out double to drive in Stachura and give UIC its first lead of the game at 4-3. Tiffany was up next, and singled down the right field line to drive in two more runs and up UIC's lead 6-3. Gina Arnold then nailed a shot to the outfield fence, good enough for a triple and the game-winning RBI.

The Flames held off a late Long Beach rally and held on for the 7-6 win, UIC's fourth straight to open the season. The win dropped the 49ers to 1-1.