INDIANAPOLIS - Sophomore Elaine Heflin has been named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week for the period of April 13-19, the conference office announced on Monday. The honor is the first of Heflin's career and the fourth for a Flames pitcher this season.

"We are so pleased with the progress Elaine has made these last few weeks," head coach Michelle Venturella said. "She is getting better every day and that's a great indication that she in continuing to work pitch to pitch."

UIC improved its Horizon League record to 10-3 with a 2-1 outing against Youngstown State (April 17-18) at Flames Field. The Flames won the series opener, 6-3, before dropping game two, 17-4 (5), and coming back strong for the finale win, 4-0.

Heflin, a Downers Grove, Ill., native, pitched the full seven innings of games one and three for the Flames in the series, improving to eight wins on the year with 10 complete games. She held the Penguins to a .222 batting average and produced an ERA of 0.50 in 14 innings.

In her first outing in the circle, Heflin limited Youngstown State's production while allowing seven hits, striking out six and earning just one of the Penguins' three runs. To cap off the week, she threw her first career shutout while matching a career-high eight strikeouts, holding YSU to five hits and giving up a mere two walks.

The Flames return to action on Tuesday as they make their way to Peoria, Ill., to face Bradley at Laura Bradley Park for a nonconference game at 4 p.m. CT.