Box Score April 3, 2015
Box Score 
DETROIT -- With two outs in the top of the seventh and the score tied at 4-4, Eleni Polites stole home to give the UIC softball team (11-14, 2-2 HL) a 5-4 series-opening win against Detroit (2-26, 0-4 HL) on Friday at Buysse Ballpark.
The Flames and Titans each collected seven hits, with Tiana Mack-Miller going 3-for-4, a season-high output for the freshman, and Polites adding two hits in her four at-bats. Kaleigh Nagle and Erica Hampton additionally contributed to UIC's total with a home run and double, respectively, while each grabbing an RBI.
Elaine Heflin went the full seven innings in the circle and struck out seven batters. The win marked her third of the season, while she pitched her sixth complete game.
After putting runners on in the first and second, the Flames plated two runs in the third for the 2-0 advantage. Taylor Cairns was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Polites followed with a single, her second of the game, before each advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Laura Swan. Mack-Miller came up with her second single, scoring Cairns, and then was caught in a run down between first and second as Polites came across the dish.
UIC put up another run in the third after Paige Peterson reached on a Detroit error and scored on a double hit to right center by Hampton.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning for the Titans, Savanna Ferstle and Dayton Yingling each singled to bring the score to 3-2.
In the fifth with two outs, Nagle stepped to the plate and blasted her first home run of the season over the left field fence to put the Flames up 4-2.
Detroit knotted the score at 4-4 in the fifth when with two on, Christa McGahuey singled and both runners came in on a UIC error.
Polites reached in the seventh on the Titan's fourth error of the game and made it to second on the play. She then advanced to third after a fly out for Swan and with the ball still in play, stole home for the game-winning run.
The Flames are back at Buysse Ballpark on Saturday to conclude the series with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. CT.
