Box Score March 24, 2009
Box Score
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - A six-run second inning would not be enough of a cushion as the UIC softball team fell to Southern Illinois Edwardsville in a 10-9 extra inning affair on Tuesday afternoon.
The host Cougars jumped out to a two-run lead in the first inning, but the Flames (8-18, 3-0 Horizon) took advantage of an unsteady starting pitcher Kaitlin Colosimo, who entered the game with a .87 ERA, in the second as six hits would evolve into six runs for the visitors in blue.
Melissa Marinacci would drill a deep right-field home run for her second of the season, and was the first long ball Colosimo has surrendered in 113 innings this season to give the Flames a five run lead.
SIUE would not go away, scoring single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, capitalizing off of two Flames errors.
The sixth inning would be crucial for both sides, as UIC would score twice in their frame. Stephanie Chavez and Brooke Frydendall would have back to back left-field RBI singles with no outs, keeping the bases loaded for the next batters. The back to back hits would force Colosimo from the game, who entered the game one win shy of the all-time SIUE wins record.
Erika Taylor would enter the game in Colosimo's wake, and unfortunately for the Flames, would put a cap on all offensive activity. UIC would close out the sixth with the bases loaded, and SIUE would put up three runs to close within one off of third-basemen Lauren Zembruski's three-run left-field home run.
As both sides entered the final inning of play, the rain, which had been toying with the field throughout the game, began to come down at a steady rate with greater intensity. With one out in the seventh, right fielder Chaleen Rumpf tied the game at nine with a deep right field homer off of Whitney Orellana to take the game into extra innings.
With no response from the Flames in the eighth, the Cougars capped the game with a walk-off single to close out the game in SIUE's favor.
Seniors Marinacci and Sarah Clynes both went 2-for-5, with Clynes driving in a run to go with Marinacci's solo homer and two RBI double.
Due to the ever increasing rain near the end of the first contest, the second game was called off.
The Flames will head across the Mississippi tomorrow to take on Saint Louis in a double-header starting at 3 p.m.
