March 18, 2002
Box Score
Miami, Fla. -The UIC softball team might want to cancel all future trips to the state of Florida.
For the second straight weekend, the Flames ran into hard luck in the 'Sunshine State' as they went 2-4 at the 2002 FIU/Coca-Cola Classic with a heart-breaking 2-1, eight-inning loss to host Florida International in the tournament semifinals.
The Flames four losses came by a combined five runs with three games decided in the last inning.
UIC, now 18-12 on the year, will stay in Miami to take on Massachusetts in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, March 19.
FIU/Coca-Cola Classic Recap
Friday, March 15 Round-Robin Play
UM-Kansas City 3, UIC 2
In the first game of the 2002 FIU/Coca-Cola Classic, 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.
UMass 4, UIC 3
In the nightcap on Friday, UIC, once again, scored all of its runs in the fifth inning, but it was not enough in a 4-3 loss to Massachusetts.
The Flames led 3-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, before the Minutewomen rallied for two runs to steal the victory.
The contest was a revenge game for the UMass, who had fallen in the final of the NFCA Leadoff Classic back on Feb. 24 to the Flames.
Cameron Astiazaran paced UIC at the plate for the second-straight game driving in two runs with a double in the fifth inning.
Sophomore Alison Aguilar was the tough-luck loser for UIC, falling to 7-5 on the season.
Saturday, March 16 Round-Robin Play
UIC 13, Fordham 2 (5 inn.)
Sophomore Alison Aguilar tossed her second no-hitter of the season while UIC picked up its first win of the 2002 FIU/Coca-Cola Classic with a 13-2, five-inning triumph over Fordham.
Aguilar, who moved to 8-5 on the year with the win, walked just two and struck out five batters on the day with both runs scoring off her without the benefit of a hit.
The Flames offense was powered by senior Ambers Stachura (2-for-2, 2 RBI), Emily Hallmann (2-for-3, 3 RBI) and rookie Amy Peters (2-for-2, RBI).
Stachura got things going in the first inning with a two-run double while Hallmann's RBI single in the first and two-run homer in the third kept UIC rolling.
Peters, meanwhile, collected the first two hits of her Flames career, including a fifth-inning run-scoring single.
Florida International 6, UIC 4
UIC dropped another tight contest at the 2002 FIU/Coca-Cola Classic as Florida International plated a pair of runs with two outs in the seventh inning to earn the victory.
With the score knotted 4-4 in the top of the last frame, Jennifer Owens laced a two-out single off Alycia Creese for the deciding runs.
Creese, who went the distance for the Flames, allowed 10 hits and surrendered five earned runs on the day.
Two home runs provided UIC with all of its offensive output with senior Edel Leyden launching her career-best 10th - a two-run shot - in the first inning while sophomore Jacquelyne Vaca added a two-run blast of her own in the fourth inning. It was Vaca's first home run of the season.
Sunday, March 17 Tournament Play
Quarterfinals - UIC 5, Fordham 0
Senior Rory-Gonzales Gould picked a good time to pitch her best game of the season as she pushed UIC into the semifinals of the 2002 FIU/Coca-Cola Classic with a 5-0 shutout of Fordham.
Gonzales-Gould (1-1) went the distance for the Flames, allowing just four hits while fanning five batters.
UIC got started fast as they plated three runs in the first with Edel Leyden and Sara Hernandez both chipping in with RBI singles.
Sophomore Amanda Rivera then supplied a little power in the third inning with a two-run homer, her eighth of the season.
Semifinals - Florida International 2, UIC 1 (8 inn.)
UIC's tough luck at the 2002 FIU/Coca-Cola Classic continued on Sunday afternoon as they dropped a 2-1, eight-inning decision to host Florida International in the tournament semifinals.
Sophomore Alison Aguilar (8-6) held the Golden Panthers without a hit through the first seven innings before a suicide squeeze, bunt single by FIU under international tie-breaker rules gave them the victory.
The Flames scored their lone run in the sixth inning when sophomore Amanda Rivera was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
