April 24, 2001
Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - Playing against the 11th-ranked softball team in the country, UIC could ill afford any fielding miscues on Tuesday evening.
Unfortunately for the Flames, they committed two errors in the first inning, which led to three Notre Dame runs as the Fighting Irish rolled past UIC, 8-0, at Flames Field.
With the win, Notre Dame extended its NCAA-best winning streak to 23 games while improving to 41-3 on the season. UIC, meanwhile, had its four-game winning streak snapped as they fell to 33-22 on the year and are now 2-7 this season against ranked teams.
In the Irish first, Jenny Kriech led off with a single and Dani Klayman then reached safely as UIC first baseman Jacque Vaca pulled her foot off the bag, setting up a big inning for Notre Dame. UIC starter Alison Aguilar (11-5) would get Melanie Alkire to fly out for the first out of the frame, but Jarrah Myers followed with an RBI single to give Notre Dame a 1-0 lead. Aguilar would cost herself on the next play as her throw to first on a slap hit by Lizzy Lemire sailed wide of first and rolled into rightfield allowing two runs to score.
The error would spell the end off the day for Aguilar, who lasted just 1/3 of an inning and picked up her fifth loss of the year.
The score was 3-0 in the bottom of the third when the Flames mounted their biggest scoring threat of the game, loading the bases with two outs for freshman Jacquelyne Vaca. Irish starter Jen Sharron pitched her way out of the jam, though, getting Vaca to pop out harmlessly to short to end UIC's rally hopes.
Notre Dame would go on to score a single run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth and seventh innings for the final 8-0 score. Lizzy Lemire (1-for-4, 3 RBI) and Andrea Loman (1-for-3, 2 RBI) highlighted the Irish attack as each notched a two-run double in the fifth and seventh innings respectively.
UND freshman Kristin Schmidt (20-1), who entered in the fourth inning for Sharron, shutdown the Flames in her four innings of work, allowing just two hits en route to picking up her 20th win of the season.
The shutout marked the first time UIC has been held scoreless since March 17 - a span of 19 games.
