April 29, 2010

Box Score

CHICAGO - The UIC softball team bounced back from a close loss to claim the series finale in shutout fashion at Loyola on Thursday afternoon in Rogers Park.

The Flames (18-31, 11-7 Horizon) remain on the road, heading to the Motor City to take on Detroit in a Saturday-Sunday series, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, May 2 at 1 p.m. CST.

GAME ONE: Loyola 6, UIC 5
The Ramblers (19-20, 7-9 Horizon) would crack open the first game with a big first inning, as three singles and a pair of errors would equate to four runs, only one of which was earned.

With only three hits in the first three innings, Shannon Kehr would drive in a pair off her home run that was well over the center field wall. In a game marked by massive gusting winds, Ashley Hewett made it back-to-back jacks with a solo shot over the right center field wall to trail Loyola by a run entering the fifth.

Kehr would strike again in the fifth, as her deep double would drive in Brooke Frydendall to tie things up at four.

With two outs in the sixth, Christie Seddon would score off an outfield single from Stephanie Chavez for a 5-4 Flames lead.

But the host Ramblers would answer back in the bottom of the frame, as shortstop Brooke Andresen blasted an infield single, the first hit for Loyola since the fourth inning.

After stealing second, Stephanie Cihlar would bring Andresen home off a single straight up the middle, and advanced all the way to third. The final of seven Flames errors would fall amidst Jenna Grim's at-bat, allowing Cihlar to score the go-ahead run at 6-5, to which UIC had no response for in the seventh, giving the Ramblers the victory.

GAME TWO: UIC 5, Loyola 0

The near-violent winds of the first game transformed into a mere breeze in the nightcap, and after a quiet first, Kehr pounced in the second with her second homer of the day, a solo shot over left center field.

Back-to-back bunts from Carly DeMarco and Teresa Aguilar would give way to a three-run blast from Coryn Schmit, breaking open the game for a four-run Flames' lead.

Hewett tended to the circle in game two, limiting the Ramblers' chances immensely as only one baserunner would advance all the way to third in the entirety of the contest.

After an outfield single with two outs in the sixth, DeMarco would make history as her 22nd stolen base of the season would make her the UIC all-time career leader in swiped bases.

With Hewett throwing a four-hitter, Melinda Macias would quash her hitless drought on the day with a two-out single, roped into right-center field. Chavez would tack on an insurance run with a double blooped into a precarious place in left center, allowing Macias to cross the plate without contention for the fifth and final run of the evening.

Kehr would go 4-for-7 on the day with four RBI and a slugging pct. of 1.714 to go along with her pair of homers and two doubles.