CHICAGO -- UIC dropped the first game of a home-opening doubleheader on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Flames Field before firing back in the finale to win in walk-off fashion. Freshman
Jojo Santiago delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to put the win in UIC's column by a score of 5-4.
Youngstown State (14-11, 4-1 Horizon League) won the first game, 8-0. UIC (4-15, 1-3 Horizon League) led 4-0 in the nightcap before the Penguins scored four times during a two-out rally in the top of the fourth inning. Both teams threatened, but the Flames finally emerged with the victory.
Tara McElligott was nearly impossible to retire on Sunday. The senior went 4-for-5 in the doubleheader with two doubles and a home run.
Larisa Villa doubled twice in game two, including one in the seventh inning that moved
Dee Dee Caskey, the game-winning run, to third for Santiago with one away.
In the circle,
Christina Toniolo started the first game and came on in relief in the second. On the day, she fanned seven Penguins in 8.0 innings of work, while allowing only three earned runs.
Game One Recap
YSU struck first by pushing across an unearned run in the top of the second inning. After doubling,
Avrey Schumacher scored when an errant throw on a ground ball allowed her to come all the way around, giving the Penguins a 1-0 edge. The visitors added to the lead with a solo home run in the top of the third off the bat of
Taylor Turner.
The visitors added two more in the fifth and one in the sixth before putting the game out of reach with three tallies in the top of the seventh.
UIC put multiple runners on base in only two innings in game one.
Grace Fleming and
Emma Crowley both singled in the bottom of the second, while McElligott and
Maica Ingles both reached in the top of the sixth. Ingles reached third base with one away, but that was as close to scoring as the Flames would get in the opener.
Game Two Recap
It was the Flames that struck first in the nightcap, plating their first run of the doubleheader in the bottom of the first inning in game two. Ingles singled to start things off and she was one of three UIC runners packed on the base paths when
Alannah Cran stepped in with one away. Cran won a good battle by lofting a fly ball to right field that was deep enough to score Ingles and give the Flames a 1-0 after an inning.
A few innings later UIC added to its lead with a crooked number. McElligott, the squad's lone senior, launched her third home run of the season to lead off the frame. Freshman
Hailey Cowing followed with a single and she came around to score from second base three batters later when classmate Fleming punched a single of her own. The next Flame to the dish, Caskey ripped a two-bagger to right field that scored Fleming and made it 4-0 in favor of UIC.
Youngstown State was able to equalize in its next at-bat. After
Alyssa McIntosh set down the first two hitters in order, a two-out walk started off a rally that followed with four straight singles to make it 4-4. On the first three of those base hits, the Penguins took an extra base on return throws to the infield to continue the momentum.
UIC's best chance to score prior to the final frame came in the bottom of the fifth when Caskey smacked her second double of the day and made third with two away. Later, McElligott double with one gone in the sixth before Cowing walked, but they could not score.
After lined out to third base to open the seventh, Caskey singled before Villa muscled a double the other way to right-center field to put a pair in scoring position when all the Flames needed was one to win it. Without a hit on the day to that point, Santiago stepped in and lofted the second pitch she saw to left field, plenty deep to score Caskey.
Notes
- Tara McElligott's home run was her third of the season and first since opening weekend at San Diego State.
- McElligott had two hits in both games Sunday and she leads the Flames with five multi-hit games this season.
- Grace Fleming hit safely in both games Sunday, extending her hitting streak to a team-best four games. She's reached base safely in five straight.
- Eight of UIC's 19 games this season have been decided by one run. The Flames are 4-4 in those contests.
- The Flames hit six doubles as a team in the the doubleheader, and five came in the victory. Three players contributed as McElligott, Dee Dee Caskey and Larisa Villa each doubled twice.
Up Next
UIC will host YSU Monday at 11 a.m. to wrap up the series at Flames Field.
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