ROCHESTER, Mich. – The UIC softball team (35-20, 20-4 HL) concluded the regular season with its fifth series sweep of the year as it took down Oakland (20-24, 13-11 HL) in a pair of 5-3 and 2-1 decisions Sunday at the Oakland Softball Field.
 
With the doubleheader sweep, the Flames set the program record for conference wins with 20, surpassing a mark of 18 reached just last season. Additionally, their 35 regular season wins are the most for the program since 2005 when the team had 38.
 
Through the two games, UIC combined for 16 hits with three apiece for Kayla Wedl, Kaleigh Nagle and Lexi Watts. The trio additionally made up five of the team's seven RBI with Claire Crane and Emily Wetzel adding the additional two.
 
The Flames will now prepare to host the 2017 Horizon League Championship, May 10-13, at Flames Field. With the No. 1 seed, they will begin play on Thursday at noon CT against the winner of No. 4 Wright State vs. No. 5 Detroit Mercy.

Game One: UIC 5, Oakland 3
 
UIC jumped out ahead for the second-straight game and was able to work back to take the game after Oakland tied it at 2-2. The Flames reached a double-digit hit total for the second time in as many days with 10 tallies, led by Wedl's perfect 3-for-3 and another three from Watts. The pair also contributed two RBI apiece with Wetzel collecting the other.
 
Karissa Frazier threw the first five innings and struck out four, walked one and allowed five hits as she collected her 12th win of the season. Elaine Heflin dealt the final two innings with four strikeouts and two hits to garner her third save.
 
UIC put a run on the board in the first inning for the second straight game as Watts led off with a single and made her way to third before scoring on a single up the middle by Wedl.
 
Watts was a part of the scoring drive again in the second as Nagle earned a walk to start the frame, moved up on a sacrifice bunt from Rachel May and rounded the bases on a single from Watts.
 
After leaving four runners on base across the first three innings, Oakland executed in the fourth to tie the game at 2-2 as three singles scored one and a fielder's choice brought in another.
 
The Flames looked to take back the lead in the fifth as Wedl led off with her third hit of the game and Savannah Soppet followed with a bunt single before both moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Ria Smith. Wetzel then grounded out but picked up the RBI with Wedl coming in.
 
Two more runs scored for UIC in the sixth as May was hit by a pitch then came in from second on Watts' third single of the game. After Taylor Cairns singled and moved to second with a stolen base, Wedl flew out to center and got the sacrifice as Watts crossed the plate.
 
The Golden Grizzlies continued to fight into the seventh and were able to plate a run with two outs on an RBI triple.
 
Game Two: UIC 2, Oakland 1
 
For the first time in the series, UIC worked back from a deficit and was able to find the game-winning run in the final inning to pull off the win. The Flames were held to seven hits with a team-best two from Nagle while Crane homered and scored both runs.
 
Lindsay Melson earned just her second start of the season and pitched the first three innings with one strikeout, one walk and four hits allowed. Allie Trudeau went three innings in relief and struck out three, walked two and allowed two hits as she picked up her ninth win of the season for a perfect 7-0 conference record. Heflin threw the final inning and gave up one walk and one hit while she posted her second straight save to match the program record for saves in a single season with four.
 
Oakland came out ahead for the first time in the series when it stepped to the plate in the first inning. The bases were quickly loaded with no outs off a walk and two bunt singles before a run scored on a sacrifice fly.
 
UIC answered right back in the second as Crane sent the ball out of the park with two outs for her first career home run and to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Soppet and Nagle reached base in the fourth and fifth, respectively, but were held on. The Golden Grizzlies had a chance to go ahead in the fifth as they loaded the bases with a single, walk and hit by pitch but the runners were stranded.
 
Crane led off for the Flames in the top of the seventh and drew a walk before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from May. Nagle then singled through the left side and Oakland committed an error on the play that allowed Crane to score the go-ahead run.