VALPARAISO, Ind. - The UIC softball team (17-14, 8-2 HL) held off Valparaiso (8-27, 2-8 HL) on Saturday to extend its win streak to seven games and clinch the series at the VU Softball Field. The Flames came out to win 11-9 in game one and finish off the doubleheader sweep with an 11-5 victory in game two.

"We were very pleased with the tenacity of our offense," head coach Michelle Venturella said. "We had several people come through at different times, which kept constant pressure on their defense. We need to continue to get better every day and continue to play the game at a high level. If we do those things, then the results will come."

It was a hit parade for the Flames as they combined for 30 hits, while the Crusaders produced 23. Paige Peterson led all players with six tallies, followed by Eleni Polites (5), Amanda Mener (4) and Kaleigh Nagle (4).

UIC hit the long ball four times on the day. Tiana Mack-Miller went yard twice in the first game, while Mener hit her first-career grand slam and Peterson jacked her third shot of the season in game two.

UIC 11, Valparaiso 9   Box Score 

It was a high-scoring affair for UIC and Valpo as the Flames set a season high with 19 hits, the most since having a 20-hit outing on April 14, 2012, at Detroit. Eight Flames contributed to the hit total, with Polites, Nagle, Peterson and Mener nabbing three each and Mack-Miller posting two home runs.

Bridget Boyle won her sixth game of the season to improve to 6-4 after pitching four innings. Elaine Heflin came in for the final three frames and held the Crusaders to two runs and four hits while striking out three.

UIC came up with four runs in the top of the third after Valpo scored one in the second. Polites led off the frame with a double and Mack-Miller stepped to the plate to crush her second home run of the season out to left center. Peterson singled before advancing to second on a ground out and scoring on a single by Laura Swan. Swan then rounded the bases all the way from first to score on a Erica Hampton double.

The Crusaders responded in the bottom of the inning with four runs. Back-to-back singles set up Kaitlyn Ranieri, who hit a three-run homer. A triple followed and Taylor Nadler scored the runner with a sacrifice fly.

In the fourth, the Flames reclaimed their lead with three runs off five hits. Polites began the inning with a single and made her way to third before Nagle, Peterson and Mener singled in order to collectively score two. With two outs and runners at the corners, Hampton grabbed her second RBI with a single to right center.

Four more runs came across the plate in the fifth for UIC. With Polites on after collecting her third hit, Mack-Miller blasted her second home run of the game. Nagle secured her third single and Peterson walked before both runners scored on a single by Swan.

Valpo put up the last of its runs in the bottom of the fifth as Ranieri and Tarah McShane each hit two-run home runs.

UIC 11, Valparaiso 5   Box Score 

UIC never gave up its lead after obtaining a 4-0 advantage after the first inning. The Flames and Crusaders both came away with 11 hits, as Taylor Cairns and Peterson each took three and Polites added two.

Heflin pitched the complete game, her eighth of the year, to collect her sixth season victory. She struck out three while not earning a single run in her 138-pitch performance.

In the first, Mener cracked her first-career grand slam off her second-career home run, her first coming just last weekend at Detroit, with two outs after UIC loaded the bases on walks. The Flames added another run to their total in the second after Polites led off with a single and scored on a single by Peterson, as Valpo scored one on a UIC throwing error in the bottom of the inning.

UIC plated another run in the third with Polites coming up with an RBI single to score LaRi Mitchell, who reached on a fielder's choice, from third. The Crusaders brought in four runs in the bottom half with an RBI single from Nadler, two-RBI single from Sierra Pico and an RBI double from Brenna Boyle.

After a scoreless fourth and fifth, the Flames added insurance when Peterson led off with a single, made her way to third and scored on a sacrifice fly executed by Hampton.

The final four runs of the game for UIC came in the top of the seventh. Cairns singled for the third time in the game and moved to second after Mack-Miller drew a walk. Nagle then singled up the middle before Peterson came up to bat and hit her third homer of the season that knocked off the scoreboard in left center.

The Flames are back at the VU Softball Field for the series finale on Sunday. First pitch is set for noon CT.