March 14, 2008

Box Score

Los Angeles, Calif. - Lauren Brennan recorded her second career save, slamming the door on Bucknell's seventh inning comeback attempt, as the UIC softball team held on for a 3-2 victory on Friday afternoon in the Loyola Marymount Tournament.

With runners on a second and third with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh and the Flames (6-14) clinging to a 3-1 lead, Brennan replaced starter Carly DeMarco in the circle and promptly fanned the first batter she faced.

Bucknell (3-10) would cut UIC's lead to a single tally with a run-scoring fielder's choice, but Brennan would get the Bison's Kristen Frick to ground out to second base to end the game.

UIC had taken the lead in the top half of the seventh inning when a single by Ashlee Ackerman scored Brittany Dixon to snap a 1-1 tie. Rookie Alicia Abbott (2-for-4) followed with an RBI single of her own to give the Flames what would prove to be an important insurance run.

DeMarco picked up her second win of the season in the circle, tabbing a pair of strikeouts in six-plus innings of work.

DeMarco was staked to an early lead as Nicole Robinson singled home a run in the top of the first inning. Bucknell would tie the score in the fifth inning.

UIC (6-14) concludes day one of the LMU Tournament against UC Santa Barbara today at 3 p.m. CST at Smith Field on the campus of Loyola Marymount University.