CHICAGO – With six games remaining in the regular season, the UIC softball team (31-18, 16-2 HL) will hit the road for the final stretch beginning this weekend at Wright State (15-25, 9-6 HL) in Dayton, Ohio. The original schedule has been adjusted as the Flames and Raiders will now play a doubleheader Friday at 3 p.m. CT and a single game Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UIC closed out play at home with a pair of non-conference games against Loyola (April 25) and DePaul (April 26). The Flames held off both city foes as they defeated the Ramblers, 5-2, and shutout the Blue Demons, 1-0.
 
Over the two games, UIC put up 13 hits with a team-best three from Savannah Soppet as Jasmine Willis knocked in four runs and collected her fifth home run of the season against Loyola. In the circle, Karissa Frazier and Elaine Heflin both picked up wins as Allie Trudeau earned two saves.
 
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
The Flames have turned out a league-leading .281 batting average this season behind the bats of Lexi Watts (.389), Jennah Speth (.340), Soppet (.317) and Kayla Wedl (.294). Watts has established the most hits in the conference with 61 in addition to a top mark of 24 stolen bases. Of the team's 22 home runs, 10 have been knocked in from Speth (6) and Wedl (4), as Speth owns the second-most RBI with 27 behind Jasmine Willis' (.272) 28.
 
UIC has been equally as impressive in conference with a .306 batting average. Eight players are above the .300 mark with Watts (.383), Willis (.357) and Speth (.339) at the top. While Watts has 23 hits, Speth has had all six of her homers come in league play as she has come up with a leading 19 RBI.
 
The pitching for the Flames has been a highlight this season as the staff owns a 2.15 earned-run average, .209 opposing batting average and 262 strikeouts to top the Horizon League. Frazier (1.55 ERA), Heflin (2.05 ERA) and Trudeau (2.27 ERA) have made up all but one start as Frazier and Heflin each own 11 wins, with Heflin dealing a team-high 119.1 innings and tallying 133 strikeouts.
 
In conference play, UIC has combined for a minimal 0.98 ERA and .158 opposing average behind strong pitching from Frazier (0.73 ERA), Heflin (0.88 ERA) and Trudeau (1.29 ERA). With eight shutouts in 18 games, the Flames have struck out 131 with a dominating 62 from Heflin, who has also limited foes to a .098 average.
 
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
Wright State has gone 3-7 over its last 10 games, which included a 2-1 output against Oakland and 0-3 turnout versus Youngstown State. Earlier in the year, the Raiders swept their series with Green Bay and Cleveland State and took one win over Detroit Mercy.
 
Honnah Susor (.381), Macy Cook (.343) and Libby Pfeffer (.340) have had the biggest contribution to the Wright State offense that is hitting .277 as they have put up 117 hits, led by Susor's 48. Susor additionally owns a team-high 16 steals while Alexis Mayle (.232) has been the leader in home runs (5) and RBI (20).
 
Susor leads the entire Horizon League with her .490 conference average off 25 hits. Cook (.375) and Vivi Marquez (.341) are also at the top for the Raiders, as Becka Peterson (.265) has been responsible for the most runs driven in with 13 RBI.
 
Wright State has primarily relied on the pitching of Ashley Sharp (5.31 ERA) as she has tossed 124.0 innings and owns 12 of the team's wins with nine complete games and one shutout. Ally Russell (2.75 ERA), Lauren Deitrick (5.66 ERA) and Katie Neary (8.75 ERA) make up most of the remaining innings as the team holds a 5.22 ERA and .317 opposing average.
 
Sharp (3.39 ERA) has racked up eight of the conference wins with 53.2 innings pitched followed by Russell (2.65 ERA) with one win after tossing 37.0 frames. League foes are hitting .291 and have struck out just 40 times.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
UIC is 60-20 in the all-time series with Wright State. The Flames took the series, 2-1, at home last season, but it was the then No. 2 seeded Raiders who eliminated UIC in the Horizon League Tournament in a 3-1 decision.