CHICAGO - The UIC softball team (15-14, 6-2 HL) prepares for its fourth conference series of the season as it makes the short trip to Valparaiso, Ind., to take on Valpo (8-25, 2-6 HL) in a three-game set at the VU Softball Field. Game one is set for 3 p.m. CT on Friday, with a doubleheader slated to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The Flames carry a five-game win streak into competition after sweeping a doubleheader against Green Bay on Tuesday (April 7). UIC came out with 7-4 and 5-2 wins to improve its Horizon League record to 6-2, which places them in a three-way tie for first place. Laura Swan, Tiana Mack-Miller, Eleni Polites and Paige Peterson each has multi-hit outings, as Swan (2) and Mack-Miller (4) contributed six of the Flames' combined 10 RBI.

Polites (.389), Mack-Miller (.356), Amanda Mener (.320) and Paige Peterson (.300) are all hitting above .300 for UIC, with Mack-Miller leading the team on 32 hits, 10 doubles and 22 RBI. In conference play alone, Mack-Miller boasts a .480 average with 12 hits and 15 RBI.

The pitching staff has been solid in their last series of starts, with Bridget Boyle now holding a 3.14 ERA and Elaine Heflin with a 3.77 ERA. Boyle and Heflin each own five wins while pitching at least 69 innings. The Flames have struck out 124 batters, who are hitting .259 against, and own a conference-best team ERA of 3.29.

Valparaiso brings in UIC after dropping its last eight games, including a pair in a nonconference doubleheader against Wisconsin on Wednesday (April 8). The Crusaders are sitting at 2-6 in league play, with wins against Green Bay and Wright State, and were most recently swept by Oakland in a three-game series.

Kaitlyn Ranieri is sitting with a .388 batting average for Valpo, followed by Stephanie Moreno (.385), Sierra Pico (.329), Tarah McShane (.323) and Jorgi Calombaris (.303). Moreno tops the hit total with 35, as Ranieri owns eight doubles and six of the team's 18 home runs and McShane holds 26 RBI.

Ashlyn Montgomery (6.18 ERA), Taylor Weissenhofer (7.14 ERA) and Mollie Lindeman (7.60 ERA) have shared the starts for the Crusaders, as Montgomery has tabbed five wins and Lindeman has garnered three. The trio has collectively struck out 117, while opposing batters are hitting .370 against the Valpo pitchers.

UIC holds a 57-17 all-time series record against Valpo after splitting a doubleheader during the regular season last year before the Crusaders knocked off the Flames in two games during the Horizon League Tournament.