March 29, 2000
Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - The UIC softball team opened its 2000 home schedule on Wednesday, after playing its first 51 games of the season on the road, shutting out Valparaiso in both games of an afternoon doubleheader, 4-0, 2-0.
Rory Gonzales-Gould picked up the win in the first game, allowing just two hits while striking out two batters in seven innings of work. The sophomore notched her team-best 17th win of the season while tabbing her fifth complete-game shutout of the 2000 campaign. Maral Binnebose picked up where Gonzales-Gould left off, striking out a career-best six batters en route to her fourth win of the year and and first career shutout.
Both teams came out as cold as the weather at the plate in the first game as the two combined for just one hit through the first five innings. The Flames heated up in the bottom of the sixth inning, though, as Abby Booth led of with a walk and was then pushed to third base on a double to right field off the bat of Edel Leyden. Jennifer Tiffany and Emily Hallman were retired, but Stefanie Christoferson came through with a two-out, two-run, double off the centerfield wall to give UIC a 2-0 advantage. Gina Arnold followed with a walk and was then driven home by Kathy Casey who doubled into leftfield, also scoring Christoferson to put the Flames up for good, 4-0.
In game two, UIC struck early tallying a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. Leyden opened the frame by reaching on an error by the Crusader's third baseman. Hallman moved her along with a single up the middle, then Christoferson drew a walk to load the bases. Valparaiso seemed to be ready to avoid the big inning when Arnold grounded the ball to third, but Speziale overthrew the catcher trying to force out Leyden allowing Leyden and Hallman to score.
The Flames added one more run in the fifth inning on an RBI double by Hallman.
UIC, now 34-19 on the season, begins defense of its Midwestern Collegiate Conference crown on Saturday, April 1, as they welcome city-rival Loyola to Flames Field for a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.
