Box Score Feb. 14, 2010
Box Score
MIAMI - The UIC softball team closed out the Combat Classic with a 3-1 comeback victory over North Carolina State on the campus of Florida International University on Sunday morning.
The Flames close out the first weekend of play with a 3-2 record, with wins over North Florida, Southern Illinois and the Wolfpack earlier today.
Both sides were hitless after two innings before NC State drove in a run off of Landon Donovan's left field double. Shortstop Teresa Aguilar made a leaping grab at a hard hit liner and pitcher Devin Miller got the following to strike out swinging to cap off any other damage by the Pack in the third.
UIC would get on base for the first time in the bottom of the inning after Kelsey Sturgeon reached on an infield error. Pinch runner Kara Komp would steal second, but a pair of popups would keep the Flames scoreless until a hit-heavy fifth.
Sturgeon opened the bottom of the inning with an outfield single, quickly followed by a well placed bunt by freshman Melissa Preish in her first career at-bat. Carly DeMarco would move the pair to third and second, and Melinda Macias drove them both in on a line drive in the right field gap.
Christie Seddon would bunt and steal to reach scoring position with Macias on third and a deep sacrifice fly to right field by Stephanie Chavez would give the Flames a 3-1 lead.
NC State had a pair of back-to-back hits with two outs on the sixth, but Miller kept the Pack at bay to close out the inning with an infield putout to Seddon. The Wolfpack would once again threaten in the top of the seventh with runners on second and first, and a passed ball would move both over to third and second, but a popup to Seddon would cap off the weekend in the Flames favor.
Macias would go 1-for-3 with a run and two RBI, while Miller picked up her second win of the season, surrendering five hits, three Ks and a pair of walks.
The Flames now head to the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic, hosted by UNLV next weekend, February 19-21.
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