DePaul University Athletics
Blue Demons Sweep UIC
4/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
CHICAGO--Sarah Martz and Lindsay Chouinard allowed two runs in 14 innings and held UIC to eight hits as the 16th-ranked DePaul softball team swept a doubleheader at Flames Field.
Katy Kukman’s solo home run leading off the sixth off Flames’ starter Alison Aguilar (11-8) gave the Blue Demons a 1-0 victory in game one. The homer, Kukman’s third of the season, just cleared the left field fence and was all the support Chouinard needed. Chouinard (13-3) held the Flames to four hits and struck out seven en route to her sixth shutout of the season.
UIC put together a threat in the sixth when Chouinard walked Edel Leyden with one out. After a fly out, Amber Stachura lined a single to center putting runners on the corners. However, Chouinard ended the rally retiring Sara Hernandez on a ground out to third.
The Blue Demons managed four hits with Kukman finishing 1-for-2 and April Valdez going 2-for-3. Sarah Douglas picked up the final DePaul hit.
After being held down in game one, the Blue Demons’ offense came alive in game two pounding out eight hits and scoring five runs on their way to a 5-2 victory. DePaul opened the scoring in the first when Liz Bouck led off the game with a triple to center field. Martz brought her home with a double to left field giving the Blue Demons a 1-0 lead.
Christina Douglas chased UIC starter Rory Gonzales-Gould (1-2) in the second inning after crushing her second home run of the season over the left field wall. Reliever Alycia Creese did not fare any better. Kukman greeted her with a base hit to center. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, she came around to score on Saskia Roberson’s double to center field. Molly Sircher ran for Roberson and moved to third on Ashley Parker’s sacrifice bunt. Bouck followed with a ground out to second bringing Sircher home and moving the Blue Demon lead to 4-0.
The Blue Demons continued the assault in the fourth. Christina Douglas and Kukman led off the inning with singles and moved to second and third after Sircher’s sacrifice bunt. Parker brought Douglas home with a sacrifice fly to center making the score 5-0.
UIC got on the board on Hernandez’s two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning cutting the DePaul lead to 5-2. However, Martz shut the Flames down the rest of the way completing the sweep.
Christina Douglas finished the game 2-for-2 with one RBI and two runs scored while Kukman went 2-for-3 with one run scored. Bouck drove in one and scored one and Martz drove home a run going 1-for-3.
Martz (7-2) completes her seventh game of the season allowing one earned run on four hits with four strikeouts.
Heading into their weekend series against conference rival Louisville, the Blue Demons sit at 24-7 overall this season while UIC falls to 22-17. DePaul travels to Louisville for a three-game series against the Cardinals beginning with a doubleheader at noon on Saturday and the series finale at noon on Sunday.
