CHICAGO - The UIC softball team competed in its third set of fall games this past Sunday (Sept. 28) at Melissa Cook Stadium in South Bend, Ind. After falling to Notre Dame, 4-0, in game one, the Flames came back in their second contest to post a 6-5 victory against Eastern Michigan.

"It was nice to play at Notre Dame this past weekend to put ourselves up against great competition," head coach Michelle Venturella said. "We are seeing a lot of good things from our team and starting to understand how important working the process is before and during the game. Each role on the team is important and, if done well, helps with the success of the group. Our team is working hard to get better every day and control the things that they can control. This is what will help us be successful in our future competitions."

Game One: Notre Dame 4, UIC 0
UIC was held off base in the first two innings while the Fighting Irish scored two runs off three hits in the first frame. Senior Erica Hampton recorded the Flames first hit in the third inning with a single up the middle, as sophomore Savannah Soppet came in to pinch run and stole second. Junior LaRi Mitchell followed with a base hit, but the runners were left stranded.

Sophomore Kaleigh Nagle doubled in the fourth for the second time during the fall, while Notre Dame scored its final runs in the bottom of the inning off two hits.

Runners were left at the corners in the sixth for UIC after junior Laura Swan doubled to left field and freshman Tiana Mack-Miller singled to the left side. Hampton collected her second hit of the game in the seventh inning, but Mitchell was left on to end the game after coming in as a pinch runner and stealing second.

Junior Alice Fitzpatrick got the start for the Flames and pitched four innings with one strikeout before freshman Karissa Frazier came on in relief and held off the Fighting Irish through two innings while registering one strikeout.

Game Two: UIC 6, Eastern Michigan 5
UIC got on the board early in the first frame with two runs. Mitchell singled and then stole second before Soppet and Swan were walked to load the bases. Mack-Miller moved the runners to score Soppet, while Hampton singled up the middle to score Swan.

Back-to-back singles in the fourth by Mack-Miller and Hampton put two on. Junior Dana Capocci walked to load the bases and freshman Taylor Cairns singled, allowing Mack-Miller to score. Soppet, Nagle and Mack-Miller reached in the fifth but were left on base.

The Flames came away with three additional runs in the sixth as singles by Cairns, senior Eleni Polites and Mitchell loaded the bases. Swan walked to bring in a run as Nagle doubled for the second time on the day to score Mitchell and Soppet.

Eastern Michigan scored two runs in the fifth and two runs in the sixth off two hits in each frame, while its final run came in the seventh following two hits and a walk.

Sophomore Elaine Heflin pitched the first four frames and allowed two hits and one walk while picking up a strikeout. Junior Bridget Boyle went two innings before redshirt-sophomore Lindsay Melson came in to finish the game.

UIC will conclude its fall schedule this Saturday (Oct. 4) at Flames Field with a pair of games against Loyola at noon CT and Indiana State at 2 p.m. The Ramblers and Sycamores will face off at 4 p.m. following their games with the Flames.