CHICAGO – The UIC softball team (25-18, 14-4 HL) will make a quick trip east for a Horizon League doubleheader with Cleveland State (15-29, 5-12 HL) on Tuesday, May 1. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT inside Viking Field.

LAST TIME OUT
UIC took two of three against Wright State at home this weekend, coming up short in the opener 10-9 on Friday (April 27) before taking both games in Saturday's (April 28) doubleheader. The Flames grabbed a run-rule victory in the first game of the twin bill, 11-1, and used seventh-inning heroics in game two to tie the game and force extra innings, eventually taking it in the bottom of the ninth by a final score of 3-2.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES
UIC is at the top of the Horizon League standings with a 14-4 mark in conference action. As a team, the Flames own the number one batting average in the League at .288. The Flames continue to be the top base-stealing team in the League, swiping 85 bags, over 20 more than the next contender. Their 1.95 average steals per game puts them at 18th in the country. Elsewhere in the Horizon League, UIC holds down second place in runs (199), hits (331) and RBI (175).

Horizon League Player of the Week Lexi Watts is at the top of the League in several categories, including batting average (.449), runs (41), hits (66) and stolen bases (29). The junior ranks 15th in the nation in batting average, and is 19th in the nation in stolen bases, averaging 0.70 steals per contest. Skylee James leads the League in RBIs, driving in 41 runs thus far. Kayla Wedl is also one of the League's top ten run producers at number six with 30 RBI, followed by teammate Alyssa Griman in seventh with 27. Wedl also ranks sixth in the conference in hits (45) just ahead of James (44) in seventh.

The Flames control the lowest ERA in the League at 3.45. UIC's staff holds batters to the lowest batting average at .263, and has allowed the fewest total runs at 158. Horizon League Pitcher of the Week Allie Trudeau moved into second place in the conference with a 2.76 ERA after allowing zero earned runs this past weekend. Marley Hanlon is fifth among Horizon League pitchers with a 3.17 ERA, and Karissa Frazier's 3.32 mark puts her at 12th in the conference. Frazier holds batters to the lowest average in the Horizon League at .233, and Trudeau is fourth in the same category, keeping batters to a mere .248 average.   

SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE
The Vikings are currently in last place with a 5-12 conference record following a 1-2 showing this past weekend against Northern Kentucky. Cleveland State's .237 batting average is fourth in the League, while its 123 runs is fifth. The Vikings have drawn the second-most walks in the conference at 139, and have also belted the second-most home runs with 21 thus far.

Mackenzie Joecken is batting .330 to lead Cleveland State, a mark that puts her at tenth in the conference. Mel Woodard leads the Vikings in hits with 37, and Riley Ries drives in the most runs for the Vikings and ranks fifth in the Horizon League with 31 RBI.

Cleveland State pitchers collectively own an ERA of 4.73, while allowing opposing batters to hit at a .310 average. Joecken also sees the most time on mound, owning a 4.98 ERA in 85.2 innings of work. Macy Kaisk has dealt 54.2 innings and has given up 68 hits and 33 earned runs for a 4.23 ERA. Kristin Catalano owns the staff's lowest ERA at 3.22, but has only seen 37.0 innings of action in 19 appearances.  

ALL-TIME SERIES
UIC is 51-25 all-time versus the Vikings. Last season saw The Flames sweep Cleveland State 3-0 at home with a pair of run-rule victories.

UP NEXT
UIC will return home to Chicago this weekend to put a wrap on the regular season with a three-game set against second-place Youngstown State.