CHICAGO – For the first time since 2011, the No. 1 seeded UIC softball team (37-20) will compete in the Horizon League Championship title game as it defeated No. 2 Youngstown State (30-27) in a 6-3 decision Friday at Flames Field.
 
The championship match is set for noon CT Saturday against No. 2 Youngstown State.
 
The Flames scored across three different innings and used nine hits to get them there. Tiana Mack-Miller, Kaleigh Nagle and Lexi Watts each turned out two hits, as Mack-Miller and Nagle both notched two RBI.
 
Elaine Heflin earned the start and went three complete innings with six strikeouts, three walks and two hits allowed. Karissa Frazier came on in relief and collected her 13th win of the season with one strikeout and five hits after retiring six straight batters across two innings.
 
The Flames executed in the first inning to go up 3-0. Watts led off with a single then stole her 27th base of the season before advancing and scoring on an error committed by the Penguins that put Taylor Cairns at second. On a 2-2 count, Mack-Miller sent the ball over the wall in straightaway center for her third homer of the year and the 3-0 lead. UIC would load the bases as Kayla Wedl walked, Jennah Speth reached on an error and Skylee James walked but they were left stranded.
 
Youngstown State loaded the bases in both the first and second but left them that way as the Flames got out of it unharmed.
 
UIC added to its total in the third to go up 5-0. Wedl led off with an infield single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Savannah Soppet then scored as Speth hit her second career triple. With two outs, Nagle dropped a single into left that allowed Speth to score the second run.
 
In the top of the fourth, the Penguins came away with their first run of the game as two singles placed runners at the corners then a UIC error with two outs allowed the run to come in, narrowing the Flames' lead to 5-1.
 
Another run was plated for UIC in the fifth with two outs as James hit her second double of the season then scored on Nagle's second single of the game.
 
Youngstown State made its attempt at a rally in the seventh and collected two runs with a pair of RBI singles but that would be all as it left two runners on base.