CHICAGO – The UIC softball team (23-17, 9-3 HL) will welcome the Raiders from Wright State (14-28, 8-8 HL) to Flames Field this weekend. The two teams will battle in a single game on Friday, April 27 at 4 p.m. CT and a doubleheader on Saturday, April 28 beginning at 1 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
The Flames completed their third-straight Horizon League series sweep, taking all three games against Green Bay earlier this week. UIC defeated the Phoenix 3-2 and 10-3 in a doubleheader on Tuesday (April 24) to jump out to a 2-0 series lead, and sealed the sweep with a 5-0 shutout win Wednesday (April 25). The Flames turned in 18 runs in the three-game spread, while holding the Phoenix to just five.  

SCOUTING THE FLAMES
UIC is the top team in the Horizon League standings, boasting a 12-3 record in conference contests. The Flames are batting .280 as a team, third-highest among Horizon League contenders. In other categories, the Flames are second in the conference in runs (176), hits (297) and RBI (155). UIC continues to hold a huge advantage in stolen bases, having swiped 78 this season, 19 more than Wright State in second with 59. That mark puts the Flames at No. 19 in the nation in steals, averaging 1.95 per contest.

Lexi Watts leads UIC and is second among Horizon League players with a .441 batting average, ranking her 14th in the nation, just three ticks below Youngstown State's Lexi Zappitelli at .444. Watts leads the League in stolen bases and ranks 18th in the nation, averaging 0.69 steals per game. The junior also leads the League in runs (36) and hits (60), while her .500 on base percentage puts her once again in a close second with Zappitelli (.521). Skylee James has driven in a League-leading 37 runs this season, and is tied for second in doubles, tabbing 12 two-base hits thus far.

UIC pitchers have the second-lowest ERA in the League at 3.43 and their 267 hits allowed is the second fewest in the conference. The Flames staff has given up the fewest runs (145) and earned runs (128), while also keeping batters to the lowest batting average in the Horizon League (.264). Marley Hanlon owns the second-lowest ERA among Horizon League pitchers at 2.56, while Allie Trudeau's 2.90 ERA is fifth lowest. Karissa Frazier keeps batters to a .244 average, tied for second best in the conference, and Trudeau's .251 opponent batting average ties her for fourth.

SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
Wright State has dropped its last seven matchups, most recently facing a series sweep against Youngstown State. The Raiders fell in game one 5-2 and were edged out in an extra-innings game two, 1-0 (8), before dropping the finale 6-4. The sweep dropped Wright State into fourth place in the standings, and moved its conference record to .500 on the season at 8-8.

The Raiders are hitting .227 as a squad, led by Honnah Susor's .325 batting average. Susor paces Wright State in runs (28) and hits (40), as well as on base percentage (.436) and slugging percentage (.423). Macey Gunther is the top run producer for the Raiders, collecting 21 RBI this season off 30 hits. Madison Whitaker owns 19 RBI this season off 33 hits, 10 of which were multi-base hits.

The Wright State pitching staff collectively owns the lowest ERA in the League at 3.32. The Raiders hold batters to a .266 average, just one spot below the Flames. Ashley Sharp boasts the lowest ERA in the conference at 2.23, and is tied with Trudeau for fourth-lowest opponent batting average, holding batters to a .251 mark. Jordan Kennaw (3.76 ERA), Ally Russell (4.48) and Maddux Hughes (8.62) round out the rotation for the Raiders.

ALL TIME SERIES VS. WRIGHT STATE
UIC is 62-22 all-time against the Raiders, last facing Wright State in the second day of the 2017 Horizon League Tournament. The Flames shutout the Raiders in that contest 2-0 to advance to the next round.

UP NEXT
The Flames will make a quick trip out to Cleveland State on Tuesday, May 1 for a doubleheader.