CHICAGO – UIC started the day on a high note by winning the second game of the series that was suspended on Friday afternoon, 9-4, but Oakland bounced back to take the rubber match, 6-4.
The Flames (8-25, 5-11 Horizon League) picked up where they left off Friday, adding a pair of quick runs when play resumed Saturday.
In the regularly scheduled game, UIC jumped out to a 4-1 lead after two innings, but Oakland (16-8, 11-1 Horizon League) scored five unanswered and got some stellar relief to win the finale, 6-4.
Game 2 Recap (Suspended Friday)
Oakland scored first Friday with a run on a solo home run during it's first at-bat, but the Flames countered with three in the bottom of the half.
UIC had two runners in scoring position with nobody out when
Samantha Ferguson lined a two-run single to left field that scored
Maica Ingles and McElligott with ease. Later in the frame, pitcher
Carlee Jo Clark helped her own cause with an RBI groundout that scored
Dee Dee Caskey from third base.
The Golden Grizzlies regained the lead in the top of the third inning.
Lauren Griffith, who hit the first-inning home run, went deep again with a three-run shot the hugged the foul line and barely cleared the wall to put Oakland in front, 4-3.
As the steady rain continued to fall, the Flames flustered Oakland in the bottom of the third and scored the first run of the stanza without the benefit of a hit. Ingles walked, McElligott was hit by a pitch, Ferguson walked and then Caskey was plunked to bring in a run and tie the game. The bases remained loaded for Clark and she sliced a double to the gap in left-center field off of
Sydney Campbell that brought in three runs and helped UIC get back in front, 7-4.
Two batters later,
Larisa Villa walked on four pitches. Campbell then threw ball one to
Isabelle Garcia and the umpires determined it was time for a stoppage. After waiting for approximately 45 minutes, the decision was made to suspend play and resume on Saturday.
When the contest picked up, Garcia laced the first pitch Saturday into center field for a base hit that scored runner
Grace Fleming from second.
Jojo Santiago stepped in next for the Flames and she flared a ball into right field; Villa motored around from second and slid in ahead of the tag to grow UIC's lead to five runs.
The cushion was all that Clark and the Flames would need. She would finish with a complete game and four strikeouts as she notched her third win of the campaign.
Game 3 Recap
The Golden Grizzlies scored in the top of the first inning for the third time in the series Saturday afternoon, this time without the benefit of a hit.
Madison Jones reached on an error to open the game and then stole second base. She moved up to third on a groundout before scoring on a wild pitch.
Flames loaded bases in the bottom of the first, but could not score. That would change in the second, however. With two away in the stanza, McElligott pulverized a pitch and parked it over the wall in left field for a three-run home run, her eighth of the season. UIC was not done yet. Two walks and a single loaded the bases once again for Villa. Campbell came on in relief to face the Flames shortstop, but she issued another base on balls to bring in Clark and push the lead to 4-1.
Oakland got two runs back in the top of the third. A leadoff walk opened the frame before
Christina Toniolo notched a couple of quick outs. Then a hit batter followed and with two away,
Jen Krizka sliced a double down the that brought both runners home and pulled the Golden Grizzlies within a run, trailing 4-3.
The visiting team continued to chip away and Oakland regained the lead in the top of the third, scoring three times on two hits, both RBI doubles, and a UIC miscue. That push put the Flames behind by a pair, down 6-4.
Beginning in the bottom of the third inning, Campbell retired 12 consecutive UIC hitters as her team took the lead until pinch hitter
Samantha Ferguson reached on an error with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. She got the next batter to ground out to end the game.
Notes
- In UIC's last four games, Tara McElligott is batting .667 with five extra-base hits and three RBI. She is slugging 1.250 for the week and scored four runs.
- Maica Ingles has reached safely in 10 consecutive conference games. She walked in her second plate appearance of the finale…
- Carlee Jo Clark has a career-high four RBI in only the third inning of game two.
- UIC has drew four walks in game two and six more in game three. It is only the fourth and fifth times this season that the Flames have drawn at least four bases on balls.
