May 6, 2000
Box Score
Dayton, Ohio - Behind the pitching of Samantha Iuli and a pair of key homeruns, the 23rd-ranked UIC softball team clinched its fifth straight Midwestern Collegiate Conference regular-season title on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of Wright State in Dayton, Ohio. The Flames took both games by a score of 2-0.
The Raiders entered the day with a perfect 8-0 league slate and needed just a split with UIC, who came in 7-1 in the MCC, to put themselves in the driver's seat for their first MCC crown.
Two-time All-American Iuli didn't let it happen, though, pitching a pair of complete-game shutouts versus Wright State. The senior, who improved to 22-8 on the season, allowed just seven hits in her 14 innings of work while striking out 18 batters. Iuli finished league play with a perfect 6-0 record and ERA of 0.00 while fanning 45 opponents in 34 1/3 innings pitched.
In game one, the Flames scored both of their runs in the third inning. Freshman Emily Hallman opened the frame with a solo homerun to rightfield, the second homer of her career. Two outs later, Jen Tiffany singled to left, then was driven in when Stefanie Christoferson tripled off the rightfield wall.
The Raiders (31-17, 8-2 MCC)would threaten in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back singles putting runners on first and second with one out. Iuli closed the door on the possible Wright State rally, though, as she got Chrissy Crowe to fly out to center and struck Amber Price out swinging to end the contest.
The second game was almost a mirror image of the first as Iuli kept the Raider hitters at bay while the Flames used a solo homerun in the third inning to break into the scoring column. This time sophomore Edel Leyden provided the big blow, launching her fifth dinger of the season over the rightfield wall with one out in the inning.
With the score 1-0 in the sixth, Wright State had its best scoring opportunity of the day, loading the bases with two out. Iuli stifled the Raider rally, again, fanning Crowe to end the inning.
UIC would plate an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. With Iuli on second and two outs, Julie Bumgardner singled to center. Head Coach Mike McGovern held Iuli at third, fearing a collision on a bang-bang play at the play. But when centerfielder Annie Divac's throw to home sailed to the backstop, Iuli trotted in.
The Flames finish the regular-season with a 49-23 record, 9-1 in the MCC. Their league doubleheader with Cleveland State will not be made up after being rained out twice during the season. With the regular-season crown, UIC will be the top seed at next weekend's 200 MCC Championship in Indianapolis, Ind., and will receive a first-round bye in the tournament. The Flames will play their first game at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 12.
