VALPARAISO, Ind. – The UIC softball team (24-17, 11-1 HL) earned its second-straight shutout over Valparaiso (19-13, 6-6 HL), 5-0, Wednesday in game one before it went to nine innings and came away with a 3-2 victory in the finale, picking up its third conference series sweep of the season.
 
The Flames tabbed 12 hits on the day while the Crusaders put up seven. Savannah Soppet and Jennah Speth led the team with three hits apiece, as Soppet brought in four of the seven runs scored.
 
UIC is back at home this weekend for a three-game set against Northern Kentucky at Flames Field. The series opener is set for Friday at 4 p.m. CT with a doubleheader Saturday at noon. Saturday will additionally serve as Senior Day with the Flames honoring Alice Fitzpatrick, Elaine Heflin, Rachel May, Lindsay Melson, Kaleigh Nagle and Savannah Soppet.
 
Game One: UIC 5, Valparaiso 0
 
For the fourth time in the last five games, UIC shut out its opponents as it used timely hitting being a strong outing in the circle from Karissa Frazier. Soppet paced the offense with three of the team's six hits as she was a home run shy of the cycle.
 
Frazier threw her second complete-game shutout in her last three appearances while she has not allowed a run to score in three straight games. In her seven innings in the circle, she struck out two, walked one and allowed just four hits, as she notably retired 10-straight across the first four frames.
 
The Flames climbed out ahead in their first go at the plate, taking a 3-0 lead. Tiana Mack-Miller took her second pitch over the fence in right field for her second homer of the season. After Skylee James reached on an error and Alice Fitzpatrick walked, Soppet dropped her first triple of the year down the left field line to plate to more runs.
 
In the third, Mack-Miller led off with a walk and Speth got on with a single before each moved up on a sacrifice bunt from Fitzpatrick and scored as Soppet doubled into left, bringing her RBI total to four to set a career high.
 
After having 10-straight batters retired, Valpo put a runner on with a double for the team's second hit of the game in the fourth before it left another two on in the fifth off a walk and a single.
 
Soppet added to her production in the sixth with an infield single but would be the final base runner of the game for UIC.
 
Game Two: UIC 3, Valparaiso 2 (9)
 
UIC held a 1-0 lead with an inning and a half to go but Valpo put together a late rally to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth before the Flames came back to tie the game in the seventh and then score the winning run in the ninth. UIC was limited to six hits with a team-best two from Lexi Watts as James and Jasmine Willis picked up RBI.
 
Allie Trudeau threw one of her best games as a Flame en route to setting a career high with nine strikeouts. In 5.2 frames, she allowed a mere one hit while she walked four. Elaine Heflin entered in relief and was credited with the win as she struck out seven and allowed two hits in the final 3.1 innings.
 
For the third-straight game, it was UIC who turned out the first run of the game. Watts led off the third with a bunt single then swiped her 18th base of the year before moving up on a single by Mack-Miller. With one out, James flew out to left, but Watts was able to tag up and score for the 1-0 lead, crediting James with the RBI sacrifice fly.
 
After Wedl was left standing at second following a double in the fourth, the Flames loaded up the bases in the fifth as Mack-Miller, James and Speth all walked, but all remained on base to mark eight runners left on in the game.
 
Valpo put up their biggest threat in the sixth and was able to convert on the opportunity as it drew a pair of walks with two outs and scored its first runs of the series on a triple from Jaymee Lawton, just the Crusaders' second hit of the game.
 
In its final effort to come back, UIC headed into the top of the seventh and found the game-tying run. Watts led off with her third double of the season, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Mack-Miller and then tagged up on a sacrifice fly from Willis.
 
The Flames looked to have something going in the eighth as Speth led off with a single, but Claire Crane, who entered to pinch run and eventually move into the outfield, was left standing on base.
 
Another leadoff runner was placed in the ninth as Cairns drew a walk. After she advanced to second on a groundout, she scored from second as the Crusaders committed an error with two outs, giving UIC the 3-2 advantage to eventually cap the game.