April 28, 2001
Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - On a day when UIC senior Stefanie Christoferson set the NCAA record for career games played, the Flames kept their hopes alive for a sixth straight Midwestern Collegiate Conference regular-season title, taking both games of a doubleheader versus Wright State at Flames Field. UIC edged the Raiders 2-1 in the first game, before rolling to a 10-3 victory in the nightcap.
When game one went official after Wright State batted in the fifth, Christoferson passed Fresno State's Martha Noffsinger (1987-90) for the new NCAA mark by playing in her 292nd career game.
The Flames (37-23) now sit in a second-place tie with Wright State (28-16, 7-3) in the MCC with a 7-3 record, one game behind league-leading Loyola (8-2), with just one day left in regular-season league play. The Ramblers and Raiders will meet tomorrow afternoon in a twinbill at Loyola Softball Park while UIC will take on Butler at 1:00 p.m. at Flames Field.
"We had two more solid pitching performances from our freshmen," UIC Head Coach Mike McGovern said of his rookie hurlers Alycia Creese and Alison Aguilar. "Then our corners - (Jacque) Vaca and Melissa Garvey - played very well defensively in the first game, and Garvey came through with the slam in the second game. It's nice to knock a team out of first place. It shows we have some unfinished business to take care of."
In game one, UIC starter Creese pitched her way out of bases-loaded jams in the second and third innings and the Flames overcame an early one-run deficit for the 2-1 win.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, junior Jennifer Tiffany, who went 5-for-7 at the plate on the day, started things for UIC with a single to left. Emily Hallmann followed by faking bunt then pulling back to line a run-scoring double to right field to tie the score, 1-1. The sophomore advanced to third on the Raiders' throw home which proved to be key as Edel Leyden came up next and drove a fly ball deep enough to score Hallmann, who just beat a great throw by WSU centerfielder Amanda Rutherford.
With a lead in her back pocket, Creese (17-9) settled down in the circle and retired 12 of the final 14 Wright State batters she faced en route to her team-high 17th win of the season. The freshman benefited from some stellar defensive behind her as both Vaca and Garvey made nifty plays with the leather to keep the Raiders at bay.
Raiders' ace Nikki Scott was tagged with the loss in game one, allowing eight hits and two runs in 4 1/3 innings pitched.
In game two, Garvey, who hit her first career home run on Wednesday versus Northern Illinois, set the tone for the Flames' 10-3 triumph with a grand slam in a five-run second inning.
Amanda Rivera started got UIC going in the frame, leading off with a walk. Then after an error by WSU shortstop Becky Babin, the Flames loaded the bases as pinch runner Kelly Chenoweth beat out a force play at third. Garvey followed with her second career homer, pulling the ball over the leftfield wall off Wright State starter Kristin Bultinck (7-5) to put UIC up 4-0. The Flames would take a 5-0 lead before the inning was over with Leyden tabbing a two-out RBI single.
McGovern's crew added to its lead in the third with a single run, then broke things open with four runs in the fourth, highlighted by Christoferson's two-run single and Amber Stachura's two-run double.
The Flames' 10 runs would be more than enough for starter Aguilar (13-5), who scattered five hits and struck out a career-high tying seven batters in seven innings while picking up her 13th win of the campaign.
Bultinck picked up the loss for the Raiders, allowing nine runs, six earned, in 3 1/3 innings.
UIC will be back in action tomorrow as they take on Butler in a doubleheader at Flames Field a 1:00 p.m. The day will be special, as the UIC Athletic Department has deemed it `Coach McGovern Day', honoring its long-time softball coach who will be retiring following the season. There will be a special ceremony before and after the game to help recognize all of McGovern's achievements at UIC.
