UIC Headed to Louisville Regional in NCAA Tournament After 5-3 Win at Horizon League Softball Championship

CHICAGO -- UIC scored four runs in the fourth inning to take control of the Horizon League Softball Championship, claiming the League's NCAA Tournament berth with a 5-3 victory over Butler in soggy, windy conditions at Loyola Softball Park on Sunday afternoon.

With mist falling at Loyola Softball Park on Saturday evening, UIC (25-22) struck at the right time, taking advantage of uncharacteristic wildness from Butler starter Jenny Esparza (17-10).  Loading the bases with one out, Coryn Schmit walked, knotting the contest at two.  Natalie Hernandez would follow with another base on balls, giving the Flames their first lead of the game.

Tournament MVP Ashley Hewett would then strike the contest's decisive blow, a two-run double that brought Schmit and Carly DeMarco across the plate.

With rains setting upon Chicago, the game was suspended until Sunday morning, where the teams played a scoreless inning in the morning before another bout of weather kept the teams off the field until 2:15 p.m. CT.  Ashley Coleman would drive the first offering from Devin Miller (17-17) over the center field fence, bringing Butler (31-24) within two runs at 5-3.

However, Miller would settle down, getting the potential tying run out at the plate in the sixth inning.  Butler would threaten once more in the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Miller set down Jessica Huey on strikes before getting Esparza to pop out to send UIC to its first NCAA Tournament since 2004.

The Flames will meet Louisville in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, as part of the Louisville Regional.  The game will be played on May 20, with UIC taking on No. 7 California or Jacksonville State pending the outcome of the first round contests.

All-Tournament Team:
Tess Sito, CSU
Sadie Conner, Valpo
Sara Strickland Valpo
Jenny Esparza, Butler
Jessica Huey, Butler
Erin Jackson, Butler
Natalie Hernandez, UIC
Carly DeMarco, UIC
Devin Miller, UIC
Coryn Schmit, UIC
Ashley Hewett, UIC (MVP)

Batting Champion: Ashley Hewett, UIC
Defensive Player of the Championship: Sadie Conner, Valpo
Pitcher of the Championship: Devin Miller, UIC

Game 10: No. 3 Bulter 1, No. 5 UIC 0
Turnabout was fair play in the first game of the Horizon League Softball Championship, as Butler used a walk-off homer to force a decisive game against UIC for the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.   Jenny Esparza did it all for Butler, striking out 9, tossing a one-hitter and blasting a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the Bulldogs to a 1-0 win against UIC, forcing a winner-take-all contest.

Butler (32-23) could not muster much offense, as they had just one hit against UIC (24-22) starter Devin Miller (16-17), leaving five runners on base total.  Esparza (18-9), on an 0-2 pitch, launched a shot through the wind that cleared the fence with ease.

In the pitchers circle, Esparza struck out 9, giving her 51 strikeouts in the Championship, four shy of the tournament record.

UIC could not muster much offense against Esparza until after a 24-minute delay due to inclement weather, loading the bases with no outs in the sixth.  Esparza stepped up, though, striking out the next two batters before a fly ball got the Bulldogs out of trouble.  The Flames would scratch out their first hit in the top of the seventh, but advance a runner no further than second base.