Box Score Feb. 21, 2016 Box Score
ROSEMONT, Ill. - The UIC softball team (4-6) put a total of nine runners on base but was unable to bring them across the plate as it dropped a 1-0 decision to Western Illinois (3-6) Sunday at the Dome at Rosemont in the final day of competition at the Total Control Sports Invitational.
The Flames connected for just five hits in the game while they limited the Leathernecks to a mere three tallies. Senior Laura Swan, sophomore Tiana Mack-Miller and freshmen Skylee James, Lexi Watts and Claire Crane, who registered her first collegiate hit, added to the total with single hits.
After a stagnant first three frames, Western Illinois came up with the lone run of the game in the fourth. With a leadoff walk, the runner advanced on a wild pitch, a ground out and then scored on a single to right center for the 1-0 edge.
UIC left a total of seven runners on base over the next three innings. In the fourth, Swan led off with the Flames' first hit on the game and then was held with Mack-Miller after she reached on a fielder's choice. In the fifth, Crane and Watts went back-to-back with singles to lead off and advanced a base on a sacrifice by sophomore Taylor Cairns, but were then stranded.
The sixth presented itself with back-to-back leadoff singles against with Mack-Miller and James earning the tallies. They moved up on a sac bunt by junior Savannah Soppet, but were held on along with junior Kaleigh Nagle, who walked with two outs to load the bases.
Redshirt-junior Alice Fitzpatrick started the game in the circle and pitched three innings before junior Elaine Heflin took over and closed out the game. The pair combined for three strikeouts and two walks, and were backed solid defense to limit the Leathernecks from further production.
The Flames will now prepare for the SCU Invitational in Santa Clara, Calif., set for Feb. 26-28. UIC will take on UConn, Santa Clara and Nevada across five games in the three-day tourney at the SCU Softball Field.
