CHICAGO – The UIC softball team (21-17, 8-1 HL) will open a stretch of six games over the next five days when it makes the short trip to Valparaiso (19-10, 6-3 HL) for a three-game midweek set at the Valpo Softball Complex. Game one is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m. CT with a doubleheader to follow Wednesday at 1 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
The Flames produced their second conference sweep over the weekend (April 8-9) when they took out Youngstown State with 1-0 (9), 4-0 and 2-1 (8) finals. They limited the Penguins to just one run across the three games as they led in hits by a 25-9 margin.
 
Ten players added to the hit total with Taylor Cairns at the top after going 7-for-12 with three multi-hit games, as she also drove in the game-winning run in game one and scored the game-winner in game three. Mack-Miller had the next highest hit total with four as she posted a team-best three RBI.
 
The weekend was highlighted by the performance of Elaine Heflin in the opener as she threw her first-career no-hitter, the program's 27th and first since 2013, and set the UIC single-game strikeout record with 17 to earn the title of Horizon League Pitcher of the Week. Karissa Frazier was also strong in the circle, taking two wins, one shutout and holding YSU to five hits in 10.2 innings.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES
The Flames have acquired a .278 batting average this season off a league-best 279 hits. Lexi Watts continues to pace the team with a .417 average off a dominating 50 hits, as Cairns (.306), Savannah Soppet (.287) and Tiana Mack-Miller (.268) are the only other players with 30 or more hits. Eight players have reached double-digit RBI totals, with Mack-Miller, Jennah Speth (.348) and Jasmine Willis (.259) at the top with 19 apiece.
 
In conference play, UIC has tabbed a .315 average with Watts (.483), Cairns (.440), Willis (.421) and Emily Wetzel (.412) all ranking in the top 10 in the league standings, as Watts and Cairns are the only two with more than 10 hits with 14 and 11, respectively. Speth (.333) and Willis have been the key contributors in scoring runs with a combined 21 RBI.
 
Pitching for the Flames continues to be the best in the Horizon League as the rotation has turned out a 2.63 ERA with 178 strikeouts and an opposing average of .230. Frazier (1.70 ERA), Allie Trudeau (2.76 ERA) and Heflin (2.76 ERA) have been the go-to pitchers with Frazier and Heflin throwing upwards of 80 innings, as Heflin leads the team in strikeouts with 88.
 
Conference play has showcased UIC with the top ERA again with a mark of 1.24, as opponents have been limited to a .191 batting average and just 16 runs scored. Frazier (0.53 ERA), who owns the league's best ERA, and Trudeau (1.12 ERA) each have three wins on the year, followed by Heflin (2.44 ERA) and Lindsay Melson (2.62 ERA) with one each. Of the 56 strikeouts, Heflin (21) and Trudeau (20) make up the majority.

SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Valpo is coming off a weekend of rest as it last faced Green Bay (April 4-5) at home and came away with a pair of 13-2 and 4-0 wins while it dropped a 4-3 decision. This week's series will be the third straight at home for the Crusaders, as they have gone 4-2 in their last six games.
 
The Valpo offense is the best in the conference as it owns a .298 batting average with Carly Trepanier (.422) and Sam Stewart (.405) at the top. Trepanier and Stewart have combined for 75 of the team's 231 hits, 29 of which are home runs, as Stewart boasts a league-leading nine homers, 35 RBI and a .835 slugging percentage.
 
The Crusaders have tabbed a .336 average in conference play with Jorgi Calombaris (.448) and Trepanier (.406) owning the best averages and hit totals with 13 apiece. Calombaris has additionally driven in the most runs with 12 RBI, as Jaymee Lawton (4), Calombaris (3) and Lanie Callaghan (3) have made up nearly all of the team's 15 home runs.
 
The Valpo pitching staff has put together a 3.64 ERA and have allowed opponents to hit .278. Mackenzie Grossman (3.06 ERA) leads the team with a 12-5 record, 87.0 innings pitched and 70 of the 116 total strikeouts. Ashlyn Montgomery (3.13 ERA) has been the other primary starter, throwing 69.1 frames and striking out 30 to garner a 5-4 mark.
 
In Horizon League play, Grossman (2.25 ERA) is a perfect 4-0 after pitching 28.0 innings and striking out 15 as Lindsay Zdroik (4.72 ERA) and Montgomery (5.37 ERA) have both tossed more than 13 innings and contributed to the team's 3.87 ERA, 29 strikeouts and .310 opposing average.

ALL-TIME SERIES
The Flames are 63-19 in the all-time series with the Crusaders, with UIC pulling off the series sweep at home last season before Valpo claimed a 1-0 win in the Horizon League Tournament and went on to win the championship.