April 22, 2009
Box Score
CHICAGO - After suffering a 7-3 loss in game one, Loyola University Chicago (23-18, 11-6 Horizon) earned a 3-1 victory in the nightcap to salvage a split of a doubleheader at city and Horizon League rival UIC (19-21, 11-2 Horizon) this afternoon at Flames Field.
In game one, UIC staked claim to a 4-0 lead after scoring four times in the bottom of the first inning, with one of the runs scoring on a wild pitch and another pair coming around on a Loyola throwing error.
The resilient Ramblers sliced the deficit in half in the second inning on Haley Ambrosch's two-run home run over the center field wall, but, that was as close as the Ramblers would get as UIC tacked on an insurance run in the fifth inning, and two more in the sixth to take a 7-2 advantage. Loyola cut into the lead in the top of the seventh when Alexandra Trudnich's groundout scored pinch runner Colleen VanBogaert, but it proved to be too little, too late.
Ambrosch sparked the Loyola offense, which managed only five hits off UIC starter Ashley Hewett, by going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in the opener.
Loyola did most of its damage early in game two, scoring runs in the first, second and fourth innings, to take a commanding 3-0 lead it would ever relinquish. Catcher Jenna Grim was the star on offense, going 3-for-3 and falling only a single shy of hitting for the cycle.
Stevie Bradich led off the game with a bunt single, then stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on Kristen Medrud's single to center. Grim added to the lead in the second when she walloped a solo homer deep over the left field fence, and later did more damage by doubling in a run in the fourth as Loyola took a 3-0 edge.
UIC cut into the Loyola lead on Sarah Clynes' solo home run in the fifth inning, but Loyola starter Krista Crosson retired the next two batters in the fifth and was able to work her way out of jams in both the sixth and seventh innings, stranding a pair of Flames on base in each frame.
Crosson scattered seven hits and struck out a pair of Flames en route to her first win since April 8.
The same two clubs wrap up the rare mid-week series with a single game tomorrow at Flames Field at 3 p.m.
