Sept. 28, 2011

CHICAGO -The UIC softball team split decisions with Northwestern Friday, Sept. 23 at the Flames Field in Chicago, Ill. UIC defeated the Wildcats 4-3 in the first game, before dropping 2-1 in the second contest. Senior Ashley Hewett (La Palma, Calif./John F. Kennedy) totaled nine strikeouts in the first game.

"It was a great night to play at home under the lights against great competition" head coach Michelle Venturella said. "Ashley [Hewett] wasn't as sharp tonight, but she did a great job managing their offense and she competed very well. Devin [Miller] had good presence in the second game and was very good at mixing her zones and pitches. I think we're seeing some good things from this group to build on throughout the next several months. Next week will be another good test for us at the State Farm Classic."

Hewett was on the mound for the Flames and earned nine strikeouts with seven walks and allowing nine hits.

The Flames first got on the board in the fourth inning as junior Coryn Schmit (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich) led off the inning with a walk, before she stole second base. Sophomore Natalie Hernandez (Glendora, Calif./Glendora) then had base hit, which moved Schmit to third. Hernandez stole second base and with runners on second and third, senior Melinda Macias (Chino, Calif./Don Antonio Lugo) hit both base runners in to gain a 2-0 lead over the Wildcats.

UIC returned to action in the fifth inning to score two more runs. Junior Kara Komp (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West) led off the innings with a single. In addition to Komp, Melissa Preish (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Westlake), Schmit and sophomore Jenna Marsalli (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) also assisted in earning two fifth-innings runs.

Moving into the second game of the doubleheader, Hernandez grabbed a 1-0 lead for the Flames with a homerun in the top of the fourth inning, but Northwestern answered in the bottom of the fourth to even the score at 1-1.

The Wildcats improved their lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Flames earned two hits in the top of the seventh inning, but were unable to produce and Northwestern held on to the lead and edged UIC 2-1.

The Flames return to action at the State Farm Collegiate Softball Championship Friday and Saturday at Maxwell Park in Normal, Ill. UIC is first slated to play Western Illinois at 2:30 p.m. (CT), followed by Illinois State at 5:00 p.m. Fans can check the tournament page here.