Box Score April 15, 2016 Box Score
CHICAGO - The UIC softball team (24-12, 10-2 HL) scored six runs across the first two innings as it went on to take a 7-1 victory in the series opener against Northern Kentucky (9-28, 2-7 HL) Friday afternoon at Flames Field. The win gave the Flames their 10th Horizon League win of the season, marking the most conference wins after 12 games since the 2009 season.
"It was great to see our offense put the ball in play," said head coach Michelle Venturella. "Hef (Elaine Heflin) did a nice job of keeping them off balance. We expect a good challenge tomorrow that we will need to meet one pitch at a time."
Junior Elaine Heflin earned her 15th win on the year after tossing her 14th complete game as she improved to 7-0 in conference play. She struck out seven, walked one and held the Norse to just four hits. On the season, it was the sixth time she recorded seven or more strikeouts and 13th time she held opponents to four or less hits in her 22 appearances.
UIC posted its 12th double-digit hit total of the season as it outhit Northern Kentucky, 12-4. Senior Laura Swan, sophomore Tiana Mack-Miller and freshman Lexi Watts had two hits apiece, as Swan and junior Savannah Soppet (1) each extended their hit streaks to 11 games. Of the seven RBI distributed, sophomore Taylor Cairns and freshman Skylee James collected two.
UIC put up an early run in the first off a three-hit frame. Watts and Swan went back to back with a pair of singles before James hit a single to the second baseman that allowed Watts to score from second.
In the next inning, the Flames turned out five runs off five hits and two NKU errors. Senior Dana Capocci led off with a single and junior Kaleigh Nagle reached on the Norse's first error one out later before senior LaRi Mitchell loaded the bases on a bunt single. Cairns picked up two RBI on a single up the middle and Watts followed with a bunt single that allowed Mitchell to slide in safely. Swan converted a sacrifice fly as Mack-Miller brought in the last run of the frame on a single to center.
Following a leadoff walk for Northern Kentucky in the third, UIC committed an error that placed runners at second and third before a groundout scored a run for the Norse.
After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom half of the third, the Flames added one run to their total in the fourth as Mack-Miller led off with her first triple of the season and scored on a sacrifice fly by James.
UIC would leave one runner on base in its next two rounds at the plate before the Norse put up a last-chance effort in the top of the seventh, when they attempted to score their runner from second on a single to right but was thrown out at the plate for the final out.
The Flames will close out the series with Northern Kentucky on Saturday as they are faced with a doubleheader at noon CT at Flames Field.
