BOCA RATON, Fla. – UIC (4-4) endured four lead changes with Columbia and took the eventual 5-4 win before it was narrowly edged by Florida Atlantic, 1-0, in the nightcap of the FAU Strike Out Cancer Tournament on Saturday at the FAU Softball Stadium.
 
Lexi Watts, Alyssa Griman and Taylor Cairns all recorded hits in both games as the Flames combined for nine hits across the two while holding opponents to seven. Marley Hanlon picked up the first win of her career while Allie Trudeau reached her career high in strikeouts (2) and held the Owls to only two hits.
 
HEADLINES vs. COLUMBIA

• Watts and Mack-Miller Connect: Watts extended her hit streak to four games when she led off the game with a single up the middle. She then stole her fifth base of the year and advanced to third on the play before she scored on a sacrifice fly from Tiana Mack-Miller.
• Columbia Answers: The Lions came back to take the lead in their turn at the plate in the first. A walk and sac bunt allowed the runner to score on a single up the middle with a second run scoring as a double steal was turned to go up 2-1.
• Griman Comes Up Big: The Flames quickly responded in the second to go up 3-2. After Cairns and Claire Crane reached base to start off the second with a walk and hit by pitch, respectively, and advanced on a sac bunt from Emily Wetzel, Griman came up to bat and hit her first-career double into left center to plate both runs.
• Lions Reclaim Lead: Columbia was able to go ahead 4-3 in bottom of the third as two singles and a UIC error put two runners in scoring position and another single and groundout followed to plate both runs.
• Flames Tie It: UIC found the game-tying run in the fourth inning. After loading the bases with a single for Cairns and walks for Wetzel and Griman, the Lions committed an error with two outs and allowed Cairns to score.
• Griman Does It Again: Griman stepped to the plate with two outs and Cairns, who earned a walk, on second in the top of the sixth and sent the ball up the middle for a single that allowed Cairns to score the eventual game-winning run.
• Hanlon Stays Strong: Hanlon entered with the game tied at 4-4 in the fifth and had just one batter reach base in the final three innings as she struck out three, allowed only one hit and collected her first collegiate victory.

 
NOTABLES vs. COLUMBIA

• The Flames had just four hits in the game led by the effort of Griman (2-for-2), who registered the first hits of her career. Watts and Cairns also added to the total and scored all but one run with a team-best three from Cairns.
• Griman was also at the top in RBI with three as Watts and Mack-Miller also notched one apiece.
• Columbia was held to just five hits, marking the second straight game, and fifth this season, that UIC's opponent had five or less hits.
• Karissa Frazier got her third start of the year and threw 4.0 complete innings with four strikeouts and held the Lions to four hits and one walk.

 
HEADLINES vs. FAU

• Fielder's Choice Mayhem: FAU used the top of its lineup to go ahead 1-0 in the first. After a leadoff single, stolen base and groundout, the Flames tried to throw the runner out at the plate during the next play but was caught in a rundown that led to the runner returning to third before stealing home.
• Trudeau and Company Find Their Groove: After the Owls scored in the first, seven straight batters were retired, four of which came as strikeouts for Allie Trudeau, including a big K against FAU's top hitter Emily Lochten. Only two of the following six batters reached base with a walk and a double, and Trudeau added three more strikeouts. Over the course of the final three innings, eight consecutive batters were retired and Trudeau matched her career high with nine strikeouts.
• Runners Left Stranded: UIC put runners on base in all but one inning but struggled to find the timely hitting to push them across as it eventually left four standing.

 
NOTABLES vs. FAU

• Five hits were distributed during the game with Watts leading the charge on a 2-for-2 effort and Griman, James and Cairns making up the remaining tallies. Watts has now had at least one hit in all but two games this season.
• Trudeau got the nod and tossed her second complete game of the season. Despite the loss, she kept the Owls to a mere two hits and two walks.
• FAU's two hits was an opponent low for the season. The previous total of four was met three times, most recently against Dartmouth on Friday (Feb. 23).

 
UP NEXT

• The Flames close out their stay in Boca Raton on Sunday when they meet with Dartmouth for the second time at 10:15 a.m. CT.