April 11, 2002
Box Score
Chicago, Ill. -There was an NCAA Regional atmosphere at Flames Field on Thursday as the UIC softball team opened its 2002 home schedule by hosting its old city-rival #16 DePaul.
Unfortunately for the Flames, the twilight twinbill had an eerily similar result to past regional meetings between the two teams in regional play as the Blue Demons edged out a win in both contests, 1-0 and 5-2.
UIC was unable to get the timely hit it needed to pull out a win in either game as they left a combined 13 runners on base while going 0-for-9 at the plate with runners in scoring position.
The first game saw a pair of masterful pitching performances by UIC's Alison Aguilar and DePaul's Lindsey Chouinard.
Despite winds gusting out to left-centerfield, both pitchers kept the ball down and kept runners off base with the contest going scoreless until the top of the sixth inning.
DePaul leftfielder Katy Kukman opened the frame by getting the ball up in the wind and watching it just carry over the leftfield wall for a solo home run, which would prove to be the game-winner in the 1-0 Blue Demon win.
Aguilar, who gave up her first home run in over 119 innings pitched this year, was the tough-luck loser, dropping to 11-8 on the season despite allowing just four hits and walking none.
Chounaird earned the win to move to 13-3 this season. She pitched her way out of several jams, stranding six UIC runners on base, three in scoring position.
"I thought overall was very intense in the first game," Co-Head Coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher said after the game. "(Alison) pitched very well and we also played strong defense behind her."
"We showed a lot of heart and desire out there," Co-Head Coach Tom Gray continued. "That is the way we need to come out an play every game."
The second game of the twinbill saw the Blue Demon bats come alive early as they plated a run in the first before a home run by Christina Douglas to lead off the second chased UIC starter Rory Gonzales-Gould (1-2), who would eventually get tagged with the loss.
DePaul would score two more runs in the second off reliever Alycia Creese. The Flames sophomore would settle down from there, though, allowing just one run and three hits over the final five innings.
UIC would put its first two runs on the board in the fourth when freshman Sara Harnandez launched a two-run homer over the leftfield wall. It was her third home run of the year.
The Flames would put two runners on in both the fifth and the sixth innings, but DePaul starter Sarah Martz (7-2), who picked up the win, shut the door on any comeback hopes, pitching her way out of jams in both frames.
UIC will now have to regroup as they head back on the road this weekend for a pair of critical Horizon League doubleheaders. The Flames battle Youngstown State on Saturday, before taking on Cleveland State on Sunday afternoon.
GAME NOTES: Senior Edel Leyden collected career hit No. 300 with her bunt single in the fifth inning of game two versus DePaul...she is the second UIC player to accomplish the feat...Senior Jennifer Tiffany went 0-for-7 on the day, snapping her team-best nine-game hitting streak...The Flames are now 2-4 against ranked opponents.
