Peoria, Ill. – On the road, the UIC softball team took on the Bradley Braves in their fourth Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) series of the year. Both games were a high scoring affair that went in favor of the home team. Although the Flames jumped out to an early lead in game one, it would be the Braves who secured the victory, defeating UIC 15-12. The Braves carried momentum into game two and never looked back. Ending in run-rule, the Braves took a 17-6 victory over the Flames in five innings. The Flames move to 15-17-1, 4-7 in conference play while the Braves move to 9-24, 3-8 in conference play.
GAME ONE
UIC was off to a hot start with a three-run first inning.
Ari O'Connell collected the first RBI of the game with a single to right field that brought home
Sam Tourtillott. O'Connell would then go on to score off a
Larissa Ortiz ground out.
Cameran Rios scored the final run of the inning from a Bradley error. The Flames extended their lead in the top of the second with a five-run inning. With runners on first and second and one out, Tourtillott stepped up and recorded her fourth homer of the season. Leading 6-0, the Flames would load the bases. With two outs,
Nina Pesare hit a two-RBI single to left field, scoring O'Connell and
Siena Stickney. An out would be recorded on the play as the Flames finished the top of the inning with an 8-0 lead. Bottom of the inning action saw the Braves cut into the Flames lead they added four runs before the end of the inning. By the end of the third, the Flames would hold a one-run lead as the Braves added three, making the score 8-7. As momentum shifted in favor of the home team, the Braves jumped ahead in the fourth before extending their lead in the fifth and sixth. After six, the Braves led the Flames 16-8. In the seventh, the Flames attempted to rally but would come up short. With two outs, Pesare would score from second while
Sophie Gerochi reached on a Braves error. The Flames would load the bases with back-to-back walks before Stickney stepped up to bat. On the fourth pitch of her at-bat, Stickney hit a bases clearing double to left center field, bringing the Flames with three. Unfortunately, the Flames were unable to keep the rally going, as they fell to the Braves 15-12.
The box score and play-by-play can be found
here
GAME TWO
Carrying their momentum from game one, the Braves put up a 14-run first inning. The Flames picked up three runs in the top of the second following an RBI ground out by
Diamond Blomlie and a two-RBI single by
Siena Stickney. Bradley added two runs in the bottom half of the inning. After a scoreless third inning, both teams added one run in the fourth. Stickney collected her second hit of the game with an RBI-single that brought home
Sophie Gerochi. In the fifth inning, the Gerochi would hit a two-RBI triple to center field, but the Flames would ultimately fall short. With run-rule being implemented, the Flames fell to the Braves 17-6 in five innings.
The box score and play-by-play can be found
here
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT
The Flames and Braves close out the series Saturday with a solo contest on OSF Healthcare Field. First pitch will be at 2:00 p.m. C. There will be no livestream available. Live stats will be available on
UICFlames.com.
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