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Box Score 2 April 16, 2016 Box Score
CHICAGO - The UIC softball team (26-12, 12-2 HL) put together 15 runs through two games against Northern Kentucky (9-30, 2-9 HL) to come away with its third Horizon League series sweep of the season Saturday at Flames Field. The Flames hung on for a 6-4 victory in game one and then routed the Norse in five innings in game two with a 9-1 final.
"We played much better in game two as a whole," said head coach Michelle Venturella. "It was nice to see the kids fight hard and come out on top. Our pitchers did a nice job against their hitters, which is always good to see, and our offense continues to have quality at-bats, which is a goal every time we play."
UIC reached a 18-hit mark on the day and had six extra-base attempts. Senior LaRi Mitchell had a team-high four hits, including a triple that gave the Flames the walk-off in game two, followed by sophomore Taylor Cairns and freshman Lexi Watts with three apiece. With one hit in each game, senior Laura Swan extended her hit streak to a career-high 13 games. Of the 13 RBI, Mitchell, junior Kaleigh Nagle and freshman Skylee James each brought in three runs.
The pitching staff of redshirt-freshman Karissa Frazier, senior Bridget Boyle and junior Elaine Heflin held the Norse to 10 combined hits with five strikeouts and five walks.
UIC 6, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 4 - Game One
UIC scored in all but two innings as it outhit Northern Kentucky, 8-5, on its way to the win. Mitchell and Watts each had two hits, as Nagle put up a team-best two RBI on a two-run homer in the fourth.
Frazier picked up her fifth win of the year after earning her 11th start and going 6.2 innings with two strikeouts, three walks and five hits allowed, marking the 12th time this season she has held opponents to five or fewer hits. Boyle entered the game for the final out to collect her first save of the year.
For the second-straight day, the Flames put up runs in the first inning as they went ahead 2-0. Mitchell led off with a walk, stole second and moved up to third on a bunt single by Watts. After Watts stole second, Mitchell came across the plate on a passed ball and Watts scored as NKU committed an error on the play.
After being held off base in the prior two frames, Northern Kentucky recorded its first hit of the game in the fourth on a single and then came up with a RBI single to bring the score within one at 2-1.
UIC left the bases loaded in the third on a walk for junior Rachel May and singles for Mitchell and sophomore Tiana Mack-Miller, but returned in the fourth to go up 4-1 on a two-run homer by Nagle, her third of the season, after senior Dana Capocci drew a leadoff walk.
In the fifth, the Norse added another run to its total as they led off with a single and put another runner on off a fielder's choice. With runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, one run scored on a missed tag at the plate.
Watts led off the bottom of the fifth with her second triple of the season and Swan followed with a single to center to go up 5-2. A two-out walk and double for the Norse in the sixth put two in scoring position but both runners were left on base.
The Flames' final run came in the sixth, as Cairns hit a two-out double and came around the bases on a single to right center by Mitchell.
After a walk and a single for Northern Kentucky, runners moved into scoring position on a groundout and then both came in with two outs on a UIC error for the last run of the game.
UIC 9, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 1 (5) - Game Two
UIC produced eight runs in the first three innings and then walked off in the bottom of the fifth with its third run-rule victory of the season. James, Cairns and Mitchell claimed two hits each and at least two RBI apiece, led by James with three.
Boyle picked up her third start and threw 3.1 innings with one strikeout, two walks and three hits as she collected her fourth win on the year. Heflin came on in relief in the fourth with the bases loaded and finished the game with two strikeouts, no walks and two hits allowed.
UIC did it again in the first inning as Mitchell and Watts led off the game with bunt singles and then came in to score with two outs on James' fifth double of the season out to center. The Flames added another run in the second as junior Savannah Soppet led off with a walk and scored from second on a single into right by Cairns.
In the third, UIC jumped ahead 8-0 off a five-run, five-hit frame. Runners were quickly placed at the corners as Swan hit her second triple of the season to lead off and Mack-Miller drew a walk. James hit a single to right to score Swan and moved up a base, along with Mack-Miller, on the throw. With one out, Soppet singled and advanced to score one before Nagle and Cairns hit back-to-back RBI singles. The final run came in as Nagle beat the throw at the plate on a fielder's choice.
Northern Kentucky put a run on the board in the fourth after loading the bases with a double, UIC error and a walk to set up a RBI single that would put the score at 8-1.
Heading into the bottom of the fifth, freshman Emily Wetzel, who replaced Nagle behind the plate to start the fourth, drew a walk and then rounded the bases to score the walk-off run on a triple to center by Mitchell.
The Flames return to action for a midweek series on the road at Green Bay. The series opener is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m. CT at the Phoenix Softball Field, with a doubleheader slated for Wednesday at noon.
