CHICAGO – The No. 1 seeded UIC softball team (36-20) advanced to the next round in the 2017 Horizon League Championship as it opened play with a 2-0 shutout victory over No. 4 Wright State (21-30) Thursday at Flames Field.
 
The Flames will continue their tournament run Friday at 2:30 p.m. CT against No. 2 Youngstown State.
 
UIC produced a 10-hit outing with the use of tallies from nine different players, as Jasmine Willis was the lone Flame to add two hits. Lexi Watts was responsible for scoring the eventual game-winning run off an error and Jennah Speth produced the lone RBI of the game.
 
Allie Trudeau pitched the first four complete innings as she struck out three, walked one and allowed just three hits to collect her 10th win of the season. Elaine Heflin entered the circle in the top of the fifth and finished the game to set the program record for saves in a single season with five, as she struck out one, walked one and allowed just one hit in three innings. Trudeau and Heflin shared the shutout, marking the 13th shutout of the season for the team.
 
With three runners left on base over the first two innings, UIC came out ahead in the third due to a three-hit turnout and one Wright State error. Watts led off with a single then made her way to third as Taylor Cairns got down a bunt single, but the Raiders committed an error trying to get Watts taking an extra base which allowed her to score. Cairns then came across the plate for the 2-0 lead on a single from Speth.
 
UIC left four runners on base, and three in scoring position, in the remaining innings as Tiana Mack-Miller, Kaleigh Nagle, Skylee James and Willis all singled.
 
Wright State scattered seven runners on base during the game while it was held to a mere four hits.