CHICAGO – The top-seeded UIC softball team (31-21) started off its Horizon League Tournament with a bang on Thursday, taking a 12-3 win in five innings over fifth-seeded IUPUI (18-37). A five-run first inning and a pair of two-out rallies in the fourth and fifth innings lifted the Flames over the Jags, and allowed UIC to remain in the winner's bracket.

Senior Lexi Watts recorded a pair of steals in the victory, bringing her career total up to 133 and setting a new Horizon League record. The senior is now up to 36 steals on the season, just one steal away from her own single-season record.

Game Highlights

• The Flames came out of the gate running, putting up five runs in their first at bat. Watts led things off with a bouncing single out to left and stole second. Kayla Wedl, Skylee James and Alyssa Griman all followed with walks to get the Flames on the board, and a sacrifice fly from Tara McElligott brought in Wedl, and an errant throw home plated James, 3-0. Claire Crane put one over the center fielder's head for a double, bringing Griman in from third. Jennah Speth drew a walk, and both Crane and Speth moved over on a grounder from Emily Wetzel. Cassie Kaelber laid down a bunt and out-ran the throw to first, while Crane put on the wheels to make it home.
• Griman led off the bottom of the third with another walk, and McElligott sent one over the fence in center to score another two runs for the Flames, 7-0.
• A three-run home run in the top of the fourth got IUPUI on the board, 7-3.
• A two-out rally for UIC in the bottom of the fourth added two runs and grew the lead, 9-3. Wedl singled up the middle and made it all the way home after a towering fly by James out in shallow right landed for a hit and was mishandled by the IUPUI outfield. Griman once again walked, and a double from McElligott ran down the left field line and brought James in from second.
• Kaelber got another two-out rally going for the Flames in the bottom of the fifth with a triple. Watts put one through the left side to easily score Kaelber, and a big homer from Wedl went over the fence in center to end the game early with a 12-3 run-rule win for UIC.

Facts & Figures

• The Flames tallied 10 hits compared to just two for IUPUI. Watts, Wedl, McElligott and Kaelber each finished with two hits, while James and Crane combined for the remaining two.
• Both James and Wedl kept their hit streaks alive in the win. James is now up to 23 games recording a hit, while Wedl is up to 21 games.
• Wedl's game-ending homer was her 15th of the season, putting her into a tie for third in a single season.
• Jennah Speth got the start and pitched 3.1 innings to take the win. The junior allowed a mere two hits and three earned runs to improve to 6-1 on the season. Allie Trudeau finished up the final 1.2 innings, keeping the Jags hitless and scoreless in her time in the circle.

Up Next

• UIC will face the winner of the game between No. 2 Detroit Mercy and No. 6 Oakland in a matchup tomorrow, May 10 at 2:30 p.m. CT.