March 13, 2000
Box Score
Tampa Bay, Fla. - The UIC softball split its afternoon twin-bill with the University of Massachusetts on Monday as they dropped the opening game, 4-2, before escaping, 7-5, in eight innings in the second contest.
Despite not allowing an earned run, All-American Samantha Iuli, now 12-7 with a 1.29 ERA, was tagged with the loss in the first game as three errors allowed UMass its four runs. Back-to-back errors by Jennifer Tiffany and Edel Leyden set up the Minutewomen's two-run first and an error by Gina Arnold in the fifth, with a runner on and two outs, gave them the extra out they needed to plate two more.
Trailing 4-1, Amber Stachura cut the lead to a pair with an RBI single in the sixth inning, but it was not enough as UMass' Kaila Holtz (3-3) struck out eight Flames while scattering nine hits for the victory.
UIC jumped out early in game two as Samantha Iuli knocked in Edel Leyden in the first inning to give the Flames a 1-0 advantage. They plated three more in the third as Stephanie Christoferson doubled in a run with two more scoring on an error by Massachusetts's second baseman Ashley Bakken.
The Flames saw their four-run lead disappear, though, with the Minutewomen scoring two of their own in the third, as well as two in the fifth to tie the score at 4-4.
Both sides went down quietly in the seventh, but UIC erupted for three in the eighth keyed by back-to-back RBI doubles from Edel Leyden and Tiffany. Gina Arnold gave the Flames an insurance run in the inning with a RBI single.
UMass tallied one in the bottom of the frame on an RBI groundout as UIC avoided the doubleheader sweep.
In the second game, Leyden tied the school record for hits in a game with four.
The Flames, now 23-14 on the season, are back in action tomorrow as they take on Northern Illinois at 10:00 a.m. EST and North Carolina at 12:00 p.m. EST.
Game 1
r h eUMass 4 5 1UIC 2 9 3
WP-Kaila HoltzLP-Samantha Iuli
Game 2
r h eUIC 7 15 2 (8 innings)UMass 5 8 0
WP-Rory Gonzales-GouldLP-Kaila Holtz
