VALPARAISO, Ind. (April 9, 2024) – The UIC softball team (13-25, 6-7 MVC) outlasted Valparaiso (8-23, 2-8 MVC) in a nine-inning Missouri Valley Conference pitcher's duel to win 2-1 Tuesday afternoon at the Valpo Softball Complex in Valparaiso, Ind.
 
Graduate student Carlee Jo Clark (Carol Stream, Ill./St. Francis/Southern Illinois) went the distance in the circle, holding the host Beacons without a hit for the first seven innings before finishing with four strikeouts and two walks and allowing just four hits. She also went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI single in the eighth inning.
 
Graduate student Alannah Cran (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) was 3-for-5 in the leadoff spot for the Flames, scoring one of the two UIC runs. Junior Jojo Santiago (Channahon, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) collected the go-ahead RBI with a two-out single in the top of the ninth, finishing with a 1-for-3 day.
 
COMMENT FROM GRADUATE STUDENT CARLEE JO CLARK
"I'm really proud of the resiliency that the team showed today. We really showed that grit that I've know that we've had all season. I am just really proud of this team win."
 
COMMENT FROM JUNIOR JOJO SANTIAGO
"During my at-bat, it was just really about keeping my heart rate down and finding a way to get my job done, for my team and for myself. We had Carlee Jo Clark working hard out in the circle and we got the job done for her. Coming out with the win was huge."
 
GAME RECAP

• Freshman Cameran Rios (Effingham, Ill./St. Anthony) collected the first hit of the game with a slap single through the left side in the top of the first. She then stole second base but was left stranded.
• Santiago turned a key double play in the fourth, fielding a ground ball, tagging out the Beacon baserunner and throwing to first for the twin killing.
• The Flames saw some momentum in the top of the fifth when the pinch-hitting sophomore Gianna Richy (Chicago, Ill./Marist) delivered a two-out single. Cran followed that up with a single through the left side, putting two runners on before they were left stranded.
• After three more innings of scoreless play, the Flames opened up the top of the eighth with Cran's third hit of the game. After moving up 60 feet on a sacrifice, Cran scored when Clark drove an RBI single up the middle, giving UIC a 1-0 lead.
• Clark took her no-hitter into extra innings, but Valparaiso's Emily Crompton broke it up with a leadoff pinch-hit single to left in the bottom of the eighth. Lauren Sena would then re-enter for Crompton, moved to third on an error and scored an unearned run on a groundout to third, but Clark then got the final out to send the game to the ninth.
• Junior Grace Fleming (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) opened the ninth by drilling a 2-1 pitch out to right field for a base hit. After moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground-out, Fleming would touch home plate when Santiago laced an RBI single to left-center field on a full-count pitch.
• Valparaiso put two runners on with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Clark induced a pair of ground balls to Rios at third to retire the Beacons and put a bow on her complete game.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• This was the Flames' fourth extra-inning game this season and their first extra-inning win.
• Cran has collected 11 hits in her last four games, batting .688 with three RBI and a double.
• After collecting an RBI in the win, Clark has a team-leading 21 RBI this season.

 
UP NEXT FOR THE FLAMES!
The Flames return to the Valpo Softball Complex Wednesday for a 3 p.m. (CT) first pitch against the Beacons. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available on UICFlames.com.
 
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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