NORMAN, Okla. – The UIC softball team (10-12) fell just short in its effort of a rally against Omaha (8-14) as it dropped a 5-4 decision before suffering an 8-0 defeat in six innings to No. 9/10 Oklahoma (20-4) on the final day of competition at the OU Tournament and Marita Hynes Field.
 
The Flames produced 12 hits on the day with Lexi Watts going a team-best two-for-three with one walk and a hit by pitch. Kayla Wedl added a team-high three hits, as Tiana Mack-Miller, Alice Fitzpatrick and Jennah Speth each had two hits. Of the four runs, Mack-Miller (2), Watts and Wedl earned credit for bringing them in.
 
UIC will return home before it heads out for its final tournament of the season at the Hoosier Classic in Bloomington, Ind. The Flames have a pair of games on their plate against both Bowling Green and host Indiana on Saturday (March 18) and Sunday (March 19) at Andy Mohr Field.
 
Omaha 5, UIC 4
 
UIC tried to pull off a late rally after being down four runs but came up just short in their final turn at the plate. The Flames turned out their first 10 hit game since Feb. 26 as Wedl, Watts, Fitzpatrick and Speth all had two hits, while Mack-Miller added a two-run homer to the mix, continuing a three-game home run streak for the Flames.
 
Karissa Frazier took the start and threw 4.2 innings while she walked two and allowed seven hits. Lindsay Melson entered with two outs in the fifth and finished the game with one strikeout, one walk, no hits and no runs scored.
 
After Omaha had its leadoff batter reach on an error in the third, the runner stole second, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly to put the Mavericks up 1-0.
 
UIC answered right back to tie the game at 1-1 as it put runners on base for the first time in the game. Claire Crane led off with a single but was caught stealing, while Fitzpatrick and Speth went back-to-back with singles of their own. Following a fielder's choice, Wedl singled into left and scored Speth all the way from second.
 
The Mavericks jumped ahead 5-1 after their turn at the plate in the fifth. A groundout pushed a runner at second over to third and then across the plate as the Flames committed an error. Omaha then put two on with a single and a walk before consecutive doubles were hit to score three.
 
The Flames added a run in the sixth as Jasmin Willis walked, advanced to second on a groundout and then moved up to third on a passed ball before she scored on an infield single for Watts.
 
The rally started for UIC in the bottom of the seventh as Speth led off with a single and Mack-Miller followed with a two-run shot out to right for her first home run of the season and to narrow the lead to 5-4, but the bases would then be left empty.
 
#9/10 Oklahoma 8, UIC 0 (6)
 
UIC improved in holding the Oklahoma offense to seven hits but it struggled defensively and committed four errors that aided in a collection of runs for the Sooners. The Flames came away with two hits thanks to Mack-Miller and Wedl late in the game.
 
Elaine Heflin got the start and finished the game while she struck out four and walked five in her season-high 130-pitch outing.
 
With one on for Oklahoma in the first, Savannah Soppet prevented a possible home run in right field with a leaping grab. However, the Sooners' offense would continue as a walk and a single would score one to go ahead 1-0.
 
Watts extended her reached base streak to four games in the second as she got on with two outs off her first walk of the season, but she was held on at the end of the frame. It was a repeat occurrence in the fifth as she was hit by a pitch and remained on base.
 
While it was retired in order for the first time on the weekend in the second, Oklahoma put its first two batters on in the third with a hit by pitch and fielder's choice before Fale Aviu hit a three-run homer to straightaway center for the 4-0 lead.
 
After leaving the bases loaded in the fourth, the Sooners did it again in the fifth but were able to convert as a fielder's choice and UIC error scored two to increase their lead to 6-0.
 
Following a hitless five innings for the Flames, Mack-Miller put up a shot in the sixth with a one-out single and Wedl followed with a single of her own, but both were left in scoring position after moving up on a wild pitch.
 
A hit by pitch, single and UIC error in the sixth loaded the bases again for Oklahoma as a single into left scored one and a wild pitch brought in the final run for the walk off.