April 26, 2000
Box Score
South Bend, Ind. - The UIC softball team, which moved up to No. 22 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll earlier in the morning, could never get on track on Wednesday evening in South Bend, Ind., as the Flames dropped a twinbill to No. 19 Notre Dame. UIC fell 4-0 in the opener, then lost 7-1 in the nightcap.
In game one, the first inning proved to be unkind for All-American Samantha Iuli. The senior left two runners on base in the top of the frame as she struck out swinging with Flames on first and third. She then gave up three runs in the bottom of the first to the Irish (39-12), all of which came on a three-run homer to right field off the bat of Notre Dame's Melanie Alkine, her ninth of the season.
Iuli, who fell to 17-8 on the year, would last just one out into the second inning as she was removed for Rory Gonzales-Gould after surrendering an RBI single to Rebecca Eimen. Gould, who hadn't pitched since Iuli's return to the lineup, shut down the Irish from there, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing just three hits.
UIC did manage a threat in every inning, but in the end left nine runners on base as Irish starter Jennifer Sharron seemed to get out of every jam. Sharron, who improved to 21-6 on the season with the win, used the off-speed pitch to keep the Flames off balance, going the distance while striking out 11 en route to Notre Dame's 4-0 victory.
Game two was a mirror image of the first contest as UIC continued to squander scoring opportunities. The Flames left runners on second and third in the first, the bases loaded in the second, a runner on second in the third, the bases loaded, again, in the fourth, and each time came away empty-handed. Not until the fifth inning of the second game did the Irish finally retire UIC in order.
Flames' starter Maral Binnebose kept Notre Dame in check through the first two innings, but in the third she walked two and gave up three hits allowing three Irish runs to cross the plate. Gonzales-Gould was, once again, summoned from the bullpen, but this time found her relief stint to be a little rocky. The sophomore allowed four runs, two earned, over the next 3 2/3 innings as Notre Dame took a 7-0 lead into the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh, UIC finally broke through on the scoreboard as Stefanie Christoferson plated Edel Leyden with an RBI single.
The Flames, now 44-23 on the season, are back in action on Saturday, April 29, in Green Bay, Wis., to take on the UW-Green Bay Phoenix at 12:30 p.m.
