Horizon League Softball Championship Game Nine: Wright State 5, UIC 1

May 9, 2008

CHICAGO - Wright State University got past the University of Illinois at Chicago 5-1 in game nine of the Horizon League Championship at Loyola Softball Park. The Raiders will take on Cleveland State University in the semifinal game of the winner's bracket while UIC will play in game 14 at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Wright State sophomore Sharon Palma picked up the win and moved to 16-9 on the year. In 7.0 innings of work, the WSU left-hander scattered six hits and allowed just one walk.

UIC hurler Whiney Orellana took the loss and dropped to 5-9 on the year. The freshman Flame worked just 2.0 innings, allowing four runs and three walks.

Wright State's win over UIC marked the fourth time this season that the Raiders have defeated the Flames.

Offensively WSU out-hit UIC 8-6. Sophomore Jamie Perkins, freshman Louie Haney and sophomore Kristen Bradshaw each collected eight hits.

The Raiders got on the board in the first inning. Perkins scored from third base on a sacrifice fly to centerfield coming off the bat of Bradshaw. Perkins got on base after she led off the inning with a ground-rule double to left centerfield.

Perkins would then pick up three RBIs in the second inning following a three-run home run to centerfield to push the Raiders' advantage to 4-0. Perkins' three-run blast was her eighth on the year.

Both teams would remain scoreless until the top half of the fifth when UIC cut the WSU lead to three. Senior Ashlee Ackerman singled down the leftfield line, which allowed senior Lauren Brennan to score from second. Brennan reached on a fielder's choice she moved into scoring position one batter later before coming around to score her seventh run on the year.

Wright State extended its lead back to four in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Bradshaw earned her second RBI of the afternoon as she hit a single with two outs to drive in freshman Louie Haney from second base. Haney reached first base on a fielder's choice.

For complete coverage of the 2008 Horizon League Softball Championship check out the tournament homepage at www.horizonleague.org.