MURRAY, Ky. (March 15, 2024) – Behind a complete-game performance from graduate student
Christina Toniolo (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South), UIC softball (8-17, 1-0 MVC) started off Missouri Valley Conference play with a 2-1 victory over Murray State (12-14, 0-1 MVC) on Friday night at Racer Field in Murray, Ky.
Toniolo allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out six on the way to her sixth complete game of the season. Graduate student
Alannah Cran (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) and junior
JoJo Santiago (Channahon, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) each had multi-hit games, while graduate student
Carlee Jo Clark (Carol Stream, Ill./Southern Illinois) added an RBI double. Behind the plate, senior
Emma Crowley (Peoria, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) threw out two baserunners.
COMMENT FROM GRADUATE STUDENT PITCHER CHRISTINA TONIOLO
"This was a huge win for us. We are looking to make a statement in the MVC this year, and this was just the very beginning. The defense behind me and the work from
Emma Crowley made this win possible!"
COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH LYNN CURYLO
"Great contributions on both sides of the ball from the seniors today! Christina did a great job in the circle and had some help from
Emma Crowley who threw out two runners.
Carlee Jo Clark,
Alannah Cran and
Anna Walker made things happen at the plate along with an amazing at home from
Siena Stickney.
Jojo Santiago also had a great day at the plate!
GAME RECAP
- Cran collected UIC's first hit of the game with a two-out double in the top of the first. Clark then followed with her own two-bagger to give the Flames an early 1-0 lead.
- Toniolo began her outing with a strong bottom of the first, striking out the side.
- Murray State tied it up in the bottom of the second inning on a squeeze bunt.
- Cran collected her second hit of the game in the third with a shallow line drive to left field for a two-out single but was left stranded.
- Defensively, the Flames kept Murray State quiet offensively for the next two innings, highlighted by Crowley throwing out the Racers' Adison Hicks for the second out of the fourth.
- Sophomore Gianna Richy (Chicago, Ill./Marist) opened the fifth with a pinch-hitting single, before Stickney re-entered the game to run. A single from junior JoJo Santiago (Channahon, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) was soon followed by a sacrifice bunt from junior Grace Fleming (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) to put Flames on second and third with one out.
- On the first pitch she saw, senior Anna Walker (Burnside, Ill./Warsaw) laid down a squeeze bunt attempt and Stickney was originally called out at home. However, after a successful challenge by UIC, the call was overturned and the Flames regained the lead, 2-1.
- Crowley cut down her second baserunner in the bottom of the fifth, throwing out a pinch-running Maddie Hobby at second base by multiple steps.
- Backed by her defense, Toniolo continued to thrive in the circle, only allowing two hits in her final three innings of work. She capped her night with a perfect 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to secure the win for the Flames.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- Toniolo ranks fourth in the MVC with her sixth complete game of the season.
- After catching two baserunners attempting to steal, Crowley has four this season and 34 in her career at UIC.
- Clark ranks 10th in the MVC with 14 RBI this season.
UP NEXT FOR THE FLAMES!
The Flames return to Racer Field Saturday for a 2 p.m. (CT) scheduled first pitch in game two of the MVC weekend series against Murray State. Fans can watch on ESPN+ with live stats available on
UICFlames.com.
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