CHICAGO – The UIC softball team (26-18, 13-2 HL) had its nine-game win streak come to an end Saturday as it split a doubleheader with Northern Kentucky (12-28, 6-9 HL) at Flames Field. The Flames extended the streak to nine as they captured a 6-1 victory in game one to clinch the series before they dropped a 4-3 eight-inning decision.
 
Prior to the start of the day's doubleheader, UIC honored its senior class of Alice Fitzpatrick, Elaine Heflin, Rachel May, Lindsay Melson, Kaleigh Nagle and Savannah Soppet.
 
Through the two games, the Flames acquired 16 hits, led by the four-hit effort of Soppet and three-hit outing from Skylee James. Of the nine runs scored, Jennah Speth drove in three and Kayla Wedl sent in two as the pair both homered.
 
UIC returns to Flames Field on Tuesday when it opens up a midweek series with Green Bay at 5 p.m. CT. The Flames and Phoenix will then close out competition Wednesday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m.
 
Game One: UIC 6, NKU 1
 
UIC used a pair of home runs from Wedl and Speth to lift past Northern Kentucky. The Flames gathered eight eights led at the plate by Speth and James with two hits apiece. Off their home runs, Wedl and Speth brought in five of the runs and Soppet picked up the additional RBI.
 
Karissa Frazier was solid in the circle as she picked up her ninth win and ninth complete game of the season. She struck out four, walked two and allowed only four hits as she did not earn the run scored by NKU, making it 33 straight innings she is without an earned run.
 
UIC turned out a 1-0 lead after the first inning as Lexi Watts led off with a walk, stole her 20th base of the year, moved up to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a groundout from Soppet.
 
After Emily Wetzel earned a walk with one out in the second, Wedl came up to the plate and used the wind to help carry the ball over the wall in right center for her third home run of the year and to put the Flames up 3-0.
 
The Norse left two runners in scoring position in the third and then came out in the fourth to put a pair on again as they took two singles and eventually scored their first run of the series on an error committed by UIC, narrowing the lead to 3-1.
 
The Flames came out in the fifth to go ahead 6-1 as Soppet and James went back-to-back with a pair of singles and Speth then came up to bat and sent her fifth home run of the year out to straightaway center. Taylor Cairns recorded UIC's fourth-straight hit with a single but was then caught leaving early.
 
NKU would put just one runner on in the final two innings with a walk while the Flames had Watts reach on an error and Tiana Mack-Miller pick up a single but a double play would end their final go at the plate.
 
Game Two: NKU 4, UIC 3 (8)
 
For the second time in the series, UIC and NKU needed extra innings to decide the game, as it was the Norse came out on top after eight innings. The Flames tallied eight hits with a team-high three from Soppet, as it was Mack-Miller and Cairns who collected the team's two RBI.
 
Allie Trudeau took the start and went five complete innings as she allowed a mere two hits, struck out five and walked three. Frazier came in to start the sixth and finished the game with four strikeouts, just one walk and allowed three hits as her unearned streak came to an end with the Norse's late runs.
 
After being held off base in the first two frames, NKU took its first lead of the series in the third when a walk put a runner on and Taylor Brummel hit the ball to deep left and had it hit off the glove of Speth and go over the wall for a two-run homer.
 
The Flames were able to answer with one run in the bottom half of the inning as Fitzpatrick hit her second triple of the season with one out into right center and then came across the plate as Cairns turned the sacrifice fly to center.
 
The bases were loaded with Flames in the fourth as Soppet hit her fifth double of the year and made her way to third following walks for both Mack-Miller and Fitzpatrick, but they were all left stranded.
 
UIC was forced to leave the bases empty in the fifth and sixth, but came out in the seventh to tie the game. Wedl led off with her ninth double of the season and scored as Fitzpatrick reached on an error after trying for the sacrifice bunt.
 
The Norse came right back in the top of the eighth to claim the lead. A hit by pitch, single and fielder's choice led to runners at the corners with two outs before Kara Meter dropped the ball into left to score one and Zahrya McFarland singled into right center to bring in another.
 
In their final chance, the Flames came out strong as singles for James, Wetzel and Soppet loaded the bases with one out. With Mack-Miller up to bat, she sent the ball to deep center, but it was caught, allowing her to take credit for a sacrifice fly as James tagged and scored. However, Wetzel tried to advance to third on the play and was called out to end the game.