April 16, 2009

Box Score

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Behind the commanding performance of pitcher Ashley Hewett and her career high 12 strikeouts, the UIC softball team swept Green Bay with a 2-1 victory on Thursday afternoon.

While the Flames (18-20, 10-1) were quiet on offense early in the game, picking up four hits through five innings, Green Bay (14-22, 3-12) were completely subdued by Hewett's pitching, striking out 10 and giving up only two hits through five, including a 1-2-3 fifth inning.

With one out in the sixth, Brooke Frydendall's right center-field single got things going for the Flames. Shannon Kehr's walk moved Frydendall to second, and with two outs, Hewett's second outfield single of the day drove in Frydendall for the 1-0 lead.

Green Bay (14-22, 3-12) answered back in the bottom of the inning, with a deep double from leadoff hitter Melani Niederer that would eventually score after a Phoenix sacrifice bunt and a single from pitcher Katie Cooney.

UIC quashed any other scoring opportunities for the home team as Sarah Clynes made an impressive catch in foul territory and a routine infield play from Christie Seddon closed out the inning with two Phoenix stranded on base.

Carly DeMarco opened up the seventh with a one-out single up the middle, and a perfectly place double down the right field line from Melinda Macias would drive DeMarco home for the go-ahead run.

Two Green Bay strikeouts and a flyout in the bottom of the inning closed out the game in the Flames favor.

Both Macias and Hewett would go 2-for-3 with an RBI on the day.

Hewett picked up up her ninth win of the season to improve to 9-7, and remains perfect in league play with a 5-0 record.

With the win, UIC extends their season-high winning streak to eight games, and has won 14 of their last 17 contests.

The Flames have the weekend off in preparation for a single game at DePaul on Tuesday at 4 p.m. before hosting Loyola in a three game series on Wednesday and Thursday. UIC caps the week with a Saturday-Sunday series at Cleveland State.