UIC upends Cleveland State 8-4 in Horizon League Softball Championship

Box Score

PENDLETON, Ind. - Regular-season champion University of Illinois at Chicago defeated Cleveland State University 8-4 Saturday in the Horizon League Softball Championship to force a winner-take-all re-match Sunday at 9 a.m. ET.

The winner will claim the League title and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

Trailing 4-3 in the third, the Flames (27-25) mounted a season-saving comeback. Sarah Clynes opened the inning with a triple and scored on Melinda Macias' single. Two hits later, Brittany Bate relieved Amanda Macenko and walked Melissa Marinacci with the bases loaded. Ashley Hewett's sacrifice fly then gave UIC the lead for good.

Amanda Houchin powered Cleveland State's attack with a pair of two-run home runs. Her third-inning shot gave the Vikings their short-lived 4-3 lead.

Clynes (8-14), the Horizon League Player of the Year, relieved Hewett in the third and pitched five shutout innings for the victory.

After winning CSU's first three games in the tournament, Macenko (27-12) - the two-time League Pitcher of the Year -- gave up seven earned runs in two-plus innings.

UIC is looking for its first title since winning six in seven years from 1998-2004.

Cleveland State is aiming for its first League championship since 1997. The Vikings have lost in the final four of the past six seasons, including the last two years to Wright State University.