March 15, 2002
Box Score
Miami, Fla. - The UIC softball team struggled in its return to Florida on Friday as they dropped a pair of one-run decisions to open the 2002 Blue and Gold Classic hosted by Florida International University.
In the first game, the Flames fell 3-2 to UM-Kansas City, a team UIC had beaten earlier in the season at the Holiday Inn-Select Festival in Tulsa, Okla.
The Flames scored both of their runs versus the Kangaroos with two outs in the fifth inning as a double by Jennifer Tiffany, an RBI triple by Cameron Astiazaran and a run-scoring single by Edel Leyden higlighted UIC's offensive output.
In the nightcap, UIC (16-10), again, scored all of its runs in the fifth inning, but it was not enough in a 4-3 loss to Massachusetts. The contest was a revenge game for the Minutewomen who had fallen in the final of the NFCA Leadoff Classic back on Feb. 24 to the Flames.
Astiazaran paced UIC at the plate for the second-straight game driving in two runs with a double in the fifth inning.
The Flames will look to rebound on Saturday as they battle host Florida International and Fordham.
