CHICAGO – The UIC softball team (17-6, 5-1 HL) bounced back from falling to Detroit Mercy (6-23, 3-3 HL), 7-4, in game one Saturday to take a 6-1 victory in the nightcap and secure the series, 2-1, at Flames Field.
 
Fifteen hits were credited to the Flames as Lexi Watts had an impressive day, going 5-for-6 with two walks, two runs scored and three stolen bases. Skylee James also had multiple hits in both games, adding one double and one triple, and contributing two RBI.
 
UIC will step away from conference play as it gets set for a city-rivalry matchup Wednesday with Loyola on the North Side in Rogers Park. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. CT at the Loyola Softball Park.
 
Game One: Detroit Mercy 7, UIC 4
 
UIC climbed to a 4-0 lead but Detroit Mercy slowly creeped its way up and eventually scored four runs in the sixth inning to put them out ahead. The Flames were limited to five hits with two apiece for Watts and James, as Jennah Speth earned the final tally with her third home run of the season.
 
Elaine Heflin earned the start and threw 5.1 frames with four strikeouts, four walks and six hits allowed, as she was credited with the loss. Lindsay Melson came in and faced four batters while she gave up two hits. Allie Trudeau finished the game with two strikeouts, no walks and no hits allowed.
 
After Detroit Mercy loaded the bases with walks in the top of the first, UIC was the one to convert in the bottom of the inning as Watts drew a leadoff walk, stole second and made it home after a pair of groundouts, with James picking up the RBI.
 
The Flames racked up their first hits of the game in the third and made it count. Watts led off with the first hit of the game on a bunt single, but was then out as Tiana Mack-Miller reached on a fielder's choice. After James hit her first double of the season, Speth came up and sent the ball over the wall in right center to give UIC the 4-0 lead.
 
The Titans were able to turn out a two-run fourth as a pair of singles put two on with two outs and a triple scored both runners. They added another run to the board in the fifth as Savvy Ferstle led off with a solo home run to left center.
 
After the Flames left the bases full in the fifth, Detroit Mercy came out in the top of the sixth to claim the lead. A single and double put runners in scoring position before they scored on a double to center. As a single put runners at the corners, a UIC error allowed two more to score, putting the Titans ahead 7-4.
 
In their final two rounds at the plate, the Flames were able to only put one runner on base as James picked up her second hit of the game in the seventh.
 
Game Two: UIC 6, Detroit Mercy 1
 
A three-run third inning would turn out to be all UIC would need but it went on to add three more insurance runs in the fifth to secure the win. The Flames posted 10 hits in the game with Watts going a perfect 3-for-3 and James and Emily Wetzel contributing two-hit outings as five players were credited with RBI.
 
Karissa Frazier threw her sixth complete game of the season as she collected her fifth win with three strikeouts, one walk and nine hits given up. She tossed six shutout innings before the Titans scored their lone run in the seventh.
 
After leaving three runners on across the first two frames, UIC put up the first runs of the game in the third. Watts ripped a shot off the pitcher then stole second and scored as James hit her first triple of the season into right. With two outs, Mack-Miller singled up the middle and then scored all the way from first on a double to left from Alice Fitzpatrick for the 3-0 advantage.
 
With two outs in the fifth, Mack-Miller was hit by a pitch and moved up to second as Fitzpatrick reached on an error. Wetzel came to bat and dropped a single into right, allowing Mack-Miller to score. Detroit Mercy then committed their second error of the frame, bringing Fitzpatrick across the plate. Ria Smith came in to pinch hit and had the ball lay just in fair territory, bringing the third run of the inning across the plate to go up 6-0.
 
The Titans scatted seven runners on base up until the seventh innings when they were able to put a run on the board. A Flames error and single put two on with one out before a groundout advanced the runners and the run scored on an infield single.