March 6, 2010

Box Score

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The UIC softball team closed out the first day of the Coach B Classic, hosted by Southern Illinois, with a hard-fought 3-1 loss to SIU-Edwardsville in eight innings Saturday afternoon.

The Flames (4-8) and the Cougars (7-8) accrued a mere five hits between the two teams through the first five innings, with SIUE striking in the top of the sixth with an RBI double by shortstop Kasey Schlafke.

Stephanie Chavez would score in the bottom of the frame, reaching on a walk to open the sixth. Ashley Hewett's sac bunt would move Chavez to second, and a wild pitch would move her to third. An illegal pitch from Erica Taylor would grant Chavez to come home for a 1-1 tie game.

With neither side able to create any offense in the seventh, the contest moved to extra innings, utilizing the international tiebreaker that places a runner on second to open the inning.

Southern Illinois Edwardsville got the go-ahead run with a one-out single, and created some insurance with a two-run RBI from Schlafke.

Baserunner Christie Seddon moved over to third after an outfield flyout in the Flames chances to level the game, but that would be as far as she would advance in the extra inning affair.

Devin Miller struck out a season-best nine, while Carly DeMarco went 3-for-3 and was caught stealing for the first time this season.

The Flames return to action tomorrow afternoon against Western Illinois at 1 p.m., and cap things off against the host Salukis at 3 p.m.