March 3, 2001

Box Score

3rd Annual Southeast Softball Classic

Game #2

UIC 13, Western Kentucky 3

Cape Girardeau, Mo. - UIC's bats exploded on Saturday morning as they plated five runs in each of the first two innings en route to a 13-3, five inning, triumph over Western Kentucky at the 3rd Annual Southeast Softball Classic.

The 13 runs scored by the Flames, who improved to 12-10 on the year and 2-0 at the Southeast Softball Classic, was a season best and the most ever allowed by Western Kentucky in the brief two-year history of Hilltopper softball.

Junior Maral Binnebose (2-1) went the distance for the Flames to pick up her second win of the season. WKU (2-2) starter Veronica Giddens, who lasted just one inning, dropped to 1-1 on the year with the loss.

The Flames got things going early versus the Hilltoppers as they batted around in the first inning, plating five runs. Jacquelyne Vaca and Amber Stachura started the rally with bases loaded RBI singles, then after Shannon Perry scored on a wild pitch, Amanda Rivera cleared the bases with a two-run double off the center field wall that put UIC up 5-0.

The scoring continued for the Flames in the second as they sent 11 batters to the plate, putting another five-spot on the scoreboard. Stefanie Christoferson, Vaca and Stachura each tallied RBI knocks in the frame to give UIC an 8-0 lead. Vaca would later cross the plate on a well executed double steal, then Abby Booth kept the rally going with an RBI single down the right field line to put the Flames ahead 10-0.

The Hilltoppers got all three of their runs with one swing of the bat in the top of the fourth inning as Angie Head hit a three-run homer to left field in her first at bat of the season.

UIC answered with a three runs of its own in the bottom of the frame to go back up Stachura, who went 3-for-3 on the day with two RBI, doubled to lead off the inning and later scored on a wild pitch. Edel Leyden and Amanda Ritchie would each record run scoring singles for the final 13-3 tally.

The Flames take on tournament host Southeast Missouri State (0-1) in their next contest, beginning at 12:00 p.m.