Softball battles back to defeat Wright State

The softball team swept Wright State in a three-game series. Photo: Steve Woltmann

After Wright State led for most of the game Sunday, the softball team (9-14, 4-1 Horizon League) headed into the bottom of the sixth and scored nine runs to secure a 14-6 (6) victory over the Raiders (7-23, 3-4 Horizon League) and sweep the weekend series at UIC.

The Flames had six starters collect at least two hits, as sophomore Laura Swan recorded the final hit of the game that drove in the winning run.

The team won its doubleheader versus Wright State Saturday, 3-2 and 12-3.

“I am really pleased with our overall performance as a team,” head coach Michelle Venturella said.“We did a good job of making the adjustments we needed, which enabled us to beat Wright State.”

The Flames compete at Youngstown State Saturday and Sunday and Cleveland State Monday.

Senior Natalie Hernandez, junior Paige Peterson and senior Jenna Marsalli all posted three hits in their four at-bats, with Hernandez and Marsalli each picking up a double. Senior Jacki Fletcher, Swan and sophomore Alex Wyss tallied two hits apiece.

Wright State was the first to get on the board after scoring one in the second and adding two more in the third. UIC contributed two in the bottom of the third after four consecutive singles by Hernandez, Peterson, Fletcher and Marsalli and an error on the Raiders.

The Flames matched Wright State in the fourth as junior Eleni Polites scored a run.

In the bottom of the fifth, UIC went ahead after scoring two off singles by Marsalli and Swan, a sac-fly by Wyss and Wright State’s third error of the game, but the Raiders answered with a two-run homer.

The Flames headed into the bottom of the sixth and powered to victory off eight hits. Hernandez led off with her seventh double of the season followed by Peterson’s third single of the day. Fletcher reached on an error to score one before Marsalli hit her eighth double this season to add another. A walk for junior Erica Hampton set up bases for Wyss, who singled to left, to bring in one.

Courtney Heeley singled and Kelly Kennedy hit her second career double, the Flames’ third of the day, to put up three runs. With bases loaded after Hernandez received a free base, Fletcher singled to score two before Marsalli walked and Swan drove in the final run.