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UIC Athletics

thevalley
Cameran Rios
Chris Kohley
7
Drake DRAKE 20-22
8
Winner UIC UIC 17-31
Drake DRAKE
20-22
7
Final
8
UIC UIC
17-31
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Drake DRAKE 0 0 0 0 3 1 3 7 13 1
UIC UIC 1 0 0 2 5 0 X 8 12 3

W: Clark, Carlee Jo (4-10) L: Scheck, Jayme (3-7) S: McIntosh, Alyssa (1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Delivers Emotional 8-7 Alumni Game Victory Over Drake

Six Flames drive in runs in key MVC win

CHICAGO (April 27, 2024) – The UIC softball team (17-31, 10-12) scattered 12 hits all over Flames Field Saturday afternoon in posting an 8-7 Missouri Valley Conference victory over Drake (20-22, 8-11). The win was particularly sweet as it came on Alumni Day, hours after the program dedicated the new Sandra M. Wichelecki and Suzanne M. Dukes UIC Flames Softball Clubhouse and using an offensive display reminiscent of UIC's 1994 NCAA Women's College World Series team, with the majority of that squad on hand to celebrate the 30th anniversary of that historic achievement.

Graduate student Carlee Jo Clark (Carol Stream, Ill./St. Francis/Southern Illinois) pitched the first 6.1 innings, holding Drake to three runs through six innings before tiring in the seventh. Redshirt junior Alyssa McIntosh (Lancaster, Calif./Lancaster) then came on to shut the door on the Bulldogs for the late-inning save.

Clark also led the UIC offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Juniors Larissa Ortiz (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville/Wisconsin) and Jojo Santiago (Channahon, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) each crushed two-run doubles, while seniors Anna Walker (Burnside, Ill./Warsaw) and Larisa Villa (La Habra, Calif./La Habra), and redshirt freshman Jazmyn Casas (Berwyn, Ill./Taft) all collected an RBI apiece.

COMMENT FROM GRADUATE STUDENT CARLEE JO CLARK


"We had a great overall team win. We had six different girls with an RBI today, (and) it was really awesome. It also transferred over to the pitching (circle). Alyssa McIntosh, we couldn't have won this game without you!"

COMMENT FROM JUNIOR LARISSA ORTIZ


"Today was a great overall win for the team. Carlee Jo Clark pitched an amazing game, but on top of that, she backed us on offense with an RBI. Overall, the energy was great, everyone was doing their job, no one was trying to be the hero and we got the win."

GAME RECAP
  • After Drake opened the game with a walk, a line shot to Casas led to the Flames' lone double play of the game to keep the Bulldogs at bay.
  • In the bottom of the first, freshman Cameran Rios (Effingham, Ill./St. Anthony) lined a shot to the center field wall, legging out a one-out triple. She would later score on Villa's sacrifice fly to give UIC an early 1-0 lead.
  • Drake would threaten to tie it in the top of the second with runners on the corners and one out. Drake's Haylee Lehman hit a hard grounder to Casas who threw home to senior catcher Emma Crowley (Peoria, Ill./ Peoria Notre Dame) in time to tag a sliding Destiny Lewis for the second out of the inning.
  • UIC added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth, when, on the seventh pitch of her pinch-hitting at-bat, Ortiz crushed a ball over the left fielder's head, scoring Clark and Fleming to make it 3-0 Flames.
  • After the Bulldogs' three-run top of the fifth, the Flames erupted with five runs in the bottom of the frame. Casas, Clark, Walker all drove in runs and a two-RBI double from Santiago helped UIC jump out to an 8-3 lead.
  • Drake put together a rally in the seventh with four unanswered runs before McIntosh forced the Bulldogs' Skylar Rigby to ground out to her to secure the Flames' victory.
 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
  • Not only was McIntosh's save the first of the season for the Flames, but it was also the first of her collegiate career.
  • After Saturday's 3-for-4 performance at the plate, Rios has nine multi-hit games in the season.
  • Santiago's two-RBI showing was her first multiple-RBI game this season.
  • Casas has a hit in nine of her last 10 games since moving into the starting lineup at shortstop.

UP NEXT FOR THE FLAMES!
The series finale against Drake will take place Sunday with a noon (CT) first pitch. It will also be Senior Day, as UIC will be celebrating its seven seniors in a pregame ceremony. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available on UICFlames.com.

Fans are strongly encouraged to support NIL opportunities for UIC student-athletes through contributions to The Chicago Collective.
 
For more information, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Softball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_softball and @uicflames).
 
 
 
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