Feb. 5, 2001

Box Score

Long Beach State, Calif. - It was a tale of two games on Sunday as the UIC softball split a pair of contests in final day action at the Long Beach State Invitational.

The Flames (4-2) opened the day with hot bats as they plated six runs in the first inning versus UC-Riverside en route to an 8-2 victory. UIC couldn't carry that offensive production into its second game, though, as #22 Long Beach State squeaked past the Flames, 2-1.

Versus the Highlanders, UIC, which pounded out a season-best 11 hits, batted around in the first inning as Jacquelyne Vaca's two-run double and Molly Freeman's RBI single highlighted the Flames' six-run rally. Freeman (2-for-4, 2 RBI) would add another RBI single in the third while freshman Alycia Creese added a sacrifice fly in the fourth for UIC's final tally.

Maral Binnebose (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in the contest to pick up the win. Starter Alison Aguilar lasted just an inning and a third allowing two runs while walking three batters.

Unlike the tilt with UC-Riverside, it was Long Beach State that dented the scoreboard early as they posted single runs in the first and second innings for a quick 2-0 lead.

UIC's bats remained quiet until the fourth inning when Amanda Rivera, who batted a team-best .500 (8-for-16) over the weekend, singled and Stefanie Christoferson doubled high off the left field wall to put runners on second and third with nobody out. LBSU got out of the jam, though, as starter Lindsey Knoff fanned Vaca, then got groundouts from Creese and Emily Hallmann to end the inning.

The Flames mounted a final charge in the seventh as Edel Leyden doubled home Jennifer Tiffany with two outs to cut the lead to one, 2-1. Knoff, once again, closed the door on any UIC comeback hopes as she fanned pinch hitter Aguilar to end the game.

Creese, who scattered seven hits and allowed just one earned run, dropped her first decision of the year and is now 2-1 for the season.

With the loss, UIC finished its opening weekend at 4-2 and now prepares to head to Arlington, Texas, to compete in the UTA/Isuzu Classic beginning on Friday, Feb. 9, at 9:00 a.m., versus Louisiana-Monroe.