March 29, 2013
Box Score
CHICAGO - Host UIC (7-17, 1-0 Horizon) scored twice in the fifth inning to overcome a one-run deficit and held on for a 2-1 victory over Loyola University Chicago (10-10, 0-1 Horizon) this afternoon at Flames Field. The Ramblers loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh but came up empty against winning pitcher Devin Miller.
Both teams squandered numerous scoring chances as they combined to leave 22 runners on base, with the Ramblers stranding a season-high 12. Loyola had a chance to get to Miller right off the bat, loading the bases with two outs in the first inning, but was unable to scratch out a run.
Following Miller's lead, junior lefthander Brittany Gardner did her best Houdini impersonation in the bottom half of the first. After retiring lead-off hitter Natalie Hernandez, Gardner allowed a single and back-to-back walks before getting Jenna Marsalli to ground into a fielder's choice and striking out Laura Swan to end the threat.
After both teams failed to capitalize on golden scoring opportunities in the fourth inning when they each left a pair of runners on base, Loyola's Olivia Bell broke the scoreless tie with a solo home run to center, her first roundtripper since April 23, 2011, in the fifth. Once again, Loyola had a chance to break the game open that inning when Brooke Andresen followed Bell's homer with a single to center, but after Jessica Balzano's sacrifice bunt moved Andresen to second, the Ramblers couldn't get to Miller for more than one run.
UIC answered right back with a pair of runs of its own in the bottom half of the fifth. A run-scoring double by Marsalli tied the game and gave the Flames runners at second and third, and one batter later, Laura Swan's sacrifice fly to right sent Coryn Schmit scampering home as UIC grabbed a 2-1 advantage.
Loyola would not go away quietly and threatened in each of its last two turns at bat. Brie Pasquale drew a walk to lead off the sixth and Tarran Shaffer followed with a single, but after Hannah Jenkins' sacrifice put both runners in scoring position, Miller escaped unscathed.
In the seventh, Loyola appeared to be on the verge of a huge rally when Balzano led off with a walk and Lauren Moore and Zaworski followed with singles to load the bases with no outs. But once again Miller dug in and after getting Annie Korth to foul out, the senior righthander got herself a pair of fielder's choice groundouts to end the game.
Zaworski and Shaffer tallied two hits apiece for Loyola, while Gardner came up on the wrong end of the decision after pitching well and striking out eight in six innings.
Loyola and UIC wrap up the three-game weekend series with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at noon.
