2004 NCAA Softball Regional -- Game 9 Recap
5/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
2004 NCAA Softball Regional
Illinois-Chicago 2, #24 Notre Dame 1
Game 9 -- Saturday, May 22 -- 4:50 p.m.
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Records: Illinois-Chicago (41-22), Notre Dame (49-20)
Next UIC Game: Saturday or Sunday, May 22-23 -- vs. DePaul/Tennessee winner, time TBA
Next Notre Dame Game: Notre Dame eliminated with 1-2 record
No Luck for Irish: Flames Capitalize on Errors to Advance
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- No. 7 seed Illinois-Chicago score two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to upset No. 4 seed Notre Dame 2-1 in NCAA Regional 6 Softball Tournament action Saturday (May 22) at Alumni Field. The Fighting Irish scored their only run of the contest in the top of the first on a manufactured run driven in by a two-out double from Notre Dame catcher Mallorie Lenn. The game was at a standstill for the next five innings until the Flames put two on the board after two hits and three Irish errors.
Alison Aguilar went the distance for the Flames, pitching all seven for the 16th victory of the season. She allowed one run on five hits and dished out seven strikeouts. Notre Dame pitcher Heather Booth took the loss, showing a quality start as well, allowing two runs (neither earned) on three hits.
Though the Flames were only able to manage three hits, they came in timely manner, with two of the three coming in the key sixth inning. Third baseman Sara Hernandez connected for a leadoff single, and three errors from the Irish allowed one run to score and put runners on second and third for catcher Tonya Maosi. The freshman drilled an infield single to third to put the go-ahead run on the board.
UIC will next compete against the winner of the DePaul vs. Tennessee contest. The game will be played late Saturday (May 22) if time permits but could be moved Sunday morning (May 23) if it cannot be started before midnight Saturday. With the loss, Notre Dame was eliminated from tournament play.
N O T E S
Notre Dame concluded the weekend's action with a combined eight errors, as the Fighting Irish committed five miscues in the loss to UIC today and three in an 8-6 victory over DePaul Thursday.
Notre Dame sophomore Heather Booth took the loss despite scattering three hits and giving up no earned runs.
UIC improved its record to 6-15 when trailing after five innings.
UIC senior Allison Aguilar improved to 16-8 as the Flames ace on the mound.
Q U O T E S
Illinois-Chicago Co-Head Coach Tom Gray
Opening statement ... "I thought that our team showed a lot of heart not stopping at any time and playing great defense. We made some really important plays early in the game, getting lead runners out and holding runners. Allison (Aguilar) pitched her heart out, but that is what we are used to from her. I thought it was a great team effort."
On taking advantage of Notre Dame's late-inning errors ... "That's one of those intangible things, and this team seems to have it. Over the last 6-8 weeks we've just found a way to win more often than not. I think a lot of times it's the seniors saying, 'Jump on my back and we're going to get it done.' Ali's done it, Amanda Rivera's done it many times, Alycia Creese has, Emily Stoddard's really broken into the starting lineup and done a great job for us at second base, she's done it too. Not to take away from Emily but out of the four she's the last one you'd think would get it done, but again today she really sparkplugged us."
On Notre Dame ... "They are one of the most talented teams we've played all year."
On Alison Aguilar ... "She did have seven strikeouts and many of them were crucial. This is really a team effort, Ali's always been a team player. I don't think she ever tries to take credit for herself. When you've got someone in the circle who's got the right attitude and approach, who's really bearing down and getting it done, it's a lot easier to play behind her."
Illinois-Chicago Co-Head Coach Sarah O'Malley-Fisher
Opening statement ... "To be honest our seniors really stepped up today. Defensively we just stepped it up, we played behind Ali when we got down early and that was pretty important, so it was a team effort overall. The last two wins we've had have been complete team victories."
On Notre Dame's miscues ... "Well, you know it's a game of inches, and sometimes the breaks go our way and sometimes they go the other team's way. We capitalized on some of the mistakes that were made, but that's the game and it turned out to be very good for us. We can't take anything away from Notre Dame either. We split with them earlier in the year. They have a great team and a great coaching staff, and it's always a great battle when we play them."
UIC Pitcher Alison Aguilar
On rebounding after giving up a run in the first inning ... "I just focused on hitting my spots and let the defense do all the work, and they did a good job of that."
Notre Dame Head Coach Deanna Gumpf
On the game ... "We are disappointed in this being the end of our season, but this team has accomplished much more than I thought it would at the beginning of the year. We put together 49 wins with an entirely new infield. I have to give credit to UIC, they put together a complete game. They made the plays they needed to at the end."
