May 11, 2011
Contact: Brian McCann
CHICAGO, Ill - Natalie Hernandez and Coryn Schmit combined to hit three home runs and drive in five runs as UIC defeated Cleveland State, 9-0 in six innings in an opening round game of the Horizon League Championship.
The Vikings (28-20) will now play the loser of Wednesday afternoon's No 3 Butler vs. No. 6 Wright State game with the losing team being eliminated from the tourney.
"This was not the performance that we were looking for to open the tournament," CSU head coach Angie Nicholson said. "UIC Came ready to hit and was able to hit a couple of home runs off Tess (Sito) and that forced us to change our strategy. It just snowballed from there.
"The team that emerges from the back-draw of this tournament has historically done well in the championship game so it is important that we regroup this afternoon and come ready to play later today."
UIC took 2-0 lead in the third when Schmit belted a two-run homer to right center. Hernandez followed with a solo shot just inside the foul pole in left to make it a 3-0 lead.
That was all for Sito, who gave up three runs on four hits in just 2.1 innings. Megan Bashak, who earlier in he year threw a two-hit shutout against the Flames, relieved Sito and gave six runs (five earned) on six hits in 3.2 innings.
Hernandez added a solo home run off Bashak to lead off the fifth, finishing the day three-for-four with three RBI and three runs scored.
UIC used three Viking errors to add three more runs in the sixth to make it a 9-0 game.
CSU could manage just singles by Gabby Gillilan, Dara Toman and Brittany Bate off UIC starter Devin Miller, who improved to 14-15 on the year.
