April 20, 2006

Box Score

Chicago, Ill.- With four RBI against DePaul, sophomore Nicole Robinson helped the UIC softball team to a 10-4 triumph over the Blue Demons Thursday afternoon. It was the Flames first victory over DePaul since 2004. UIC moves to 18-26 overall, while the Blue Demons fall to 19-15.

Freshman Melissa Marinacci lit up the bats, going 2-for-3 with a leadoff home run in the top of the third to give UIC a 1-0 lead. Catcher Nikki Rogers grabbed a two-run homer in the sixth, while seven additional Flames posted a hit in the win.

Fanning six Blue Demons in six innings, freshman Sarah Clynes improves her record to 10-5. Tracie Adix (6-5) picks up the loss for DePaul after allowing five hits in four innings.

Leaping ahead in the third, Marinacci ripped one over the center field wall for her third home run this season. UIC continued to dominate on offense with a single to left field from Clynes. Loading the bases on two straight errors by DePaul's shortstop, senior Joyce Cathey ripped one up the middle for a 2-0 lead. Adix then walked Robinson for the three-run cushion, followed by an RBI from Nikki Rogers.

With a 5-0 advantage, the Blue Demons earned a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single from Sandy Vojik. The Blue Demons continued to chip away at UIC's lead in the fourth after scoring two, followed by a run in the fifth to trail the Flames, 5-4.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, the Flames broke the game open after Robinson drilled one deep to left-center, sending three across the plate. Rogers then belted a two-run homer, marking the sophomore's first home run on the year.

Scoreless in the seventh, UIC picks up the, 10-4, victory, beating DePaul for the first time since 2004.

UIC returns home to Flames Field to host UW-Green Bay in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 22nd with the first pitch scheduled for 1 pm (CST).