CHICAGO -- The UIC softball team (10-14) gathered a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but it could not hold off Loyola (11-18) as the Ramblers scored at least one run in each frame before closing out the game in the fifth inning with a 12-2 win on Wednesday at the Loyola Softball Park.

The Flames combined for five hits in the game, with Taylor Cairns, Laura Swan, Tiana Mack-Miller, Amanda Mener and Paige Peterson taking the tallies. Loyola produced 10 hits, with two-plus hit outings for three players.

Elaine Heflin started in the circle and pitched four innings while giving up six hits and seven runs (four earned) and collecting two strikeouts. Lindsay Melson entered in the fifth to conclude the game.

The Flames plated two runs in the first inning with Swan and Mack-Miller collecting the RBI. Cairns led off with an infield single to mark a five-game hit streak and was driven in with a triple by Swan, her first of the season. With one out, Mack-Miller grounded out to second base while Swan came across the dish.

Loyola then scored seven runs over the next four innings to go up 7-2. Ashley Parenti hit an RBI single and the next two batters were hit by pitches to walk in a pair in the first. In the second, Brooke Wyderski singled, scoring one on a UIC error, and Brie Pasquale followed with an RBI double. The Ramblers tallied two more runs in the fourth and fifth as a result of two Flames' errors.

The win was capped in the bottom of the fifth when Annie Korth hit a solo home run, Jamie O'Brien collected an RBI single and Wyderski drove a three-run homer for the walk-off.

The Flames return to Horizon League action when they head to Detroit, Mich., to face the Titans on Friday at 2 p.m. CT and Saturday in a doubleheader at 11 a.m. at Buysse Ballpark.