March 29, 2003
Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - Horizon League rivals UIC and Loyola battled through snow, bone-chilling temperatures, and back-to-back extra-inning games totaling 19 innings on Saturday afternoon with each team earning a win in the first two contests of a key three-games series.
The Ramblers (14-9, 1-1) took the league opener for both teams, 3-2, in eight innings, before the Flames (8-24, 1-1) pulled out a 2-1 decision in 11 innings in game two at Loyola Softball Park.
The two teams will wrap up the series tomorrow afternoon with a single game at Loyola at 1:00 p.m.
In game one, Katie Blackmore's bases-loaded single to right in the bottom of the eighth off UIC's Brittany McIntyre gave the Ramblers the 3-2 victory.
The Ramblers had fought back from a 2-0 deficit after the Flames plated a pair of runs in the first inning on back-to-back RBI singles by junior Sara Hernandez, who went 2-for-3 at the plate in the first game, and junior Amanda Rivera.
Loyola would get a run back in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on an error by UIC right fielder Michelle Miller. They would tie the score in the fifth inning on another unearned run when Natalie Martin singled in Blackmore, who had reached on an error.
McIntyre, who allowed just one earned run in seven innings of work, was the tough-luck loser, despite stranding 14 Ramblers on base in the contest. She is now 4-11 on the year.
Mia Pangere (4-2) picked up the win for Loyola, allowing two runs on seven hits in eight innings of work.
The second game saw UIC starter Alison Aguilar remain perfect in her last 13 Horizon League starts as she did not allow an earned run in 11 innings in the circle.
Sophomore Cameron Astiazaran then provided the offensive heroics for the Flames in the bottom of the 11th with an RBI single to left, scoring Nicole Shepard, who had led off the frame with a single and was advanced to third on a single by Kristin Cumbo.
UIC, once again, struck early versus Loyola in the second game as a Hernandez sacrifice fly plated Joyce Cathey in the bottom of the first inning.
Just as in the previous game, though, the Ramblers answered right back, capitalizing on a UIC error to even the score in the top of the second inning.
Both Aguilar and Rambler starter Jenny Rice pitched their way in an out of jams over the next eight innings, as Loyola left 13 runners on base and UIC eight, until Astiazaran finally singled home the game-winner in the 11th.
With the win, Aguilar improves to 3-10 on the year and has now not lost a league game since a 2-1 loss at Loyola on April 14, 2001.
