RICHMOND, Ky. – The UIC softball team (8-10) picked up a pair of wins at day two of the EKU Invitational, defeating Dayton (5-11), 6-5 in walk off fashion and taking down Akron (6-17) by a final tally of 5-3. A two-run home run for Kayla Pociejewski negated a late comeback by the Flyers to give the Flames the win in game one, while a four-run first inning for UIC proved to be enough against the Zips in game two of the day.

Game Highlights vs. Dayton

• Kayla Wedl, Tara McElligott and Alyssa Griman strung together three-straight hits, giving UIC a 1-0 lead after its first at bat.
• In the bottom of the second Cassie Kaelber led off with a walk, stole second, moved to third on a grounder from Alannah Cran and scored on a blooper out to right off the bat of Samantha Ferguson, extending UIC's lead to a pair, 2-0.
• Dayton got on the board in the top of the fourth after a trio of hits, 3-1.
• A wild pitch with the bases loaded allowed Maddie Spinks to score from third and extend UIC's lead in the bottom of the fifth, 4-1.
• The Flyers put together a two-out rally in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs to take over the lead, 5-4.
• Alyssa Griman led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, and Kayla Pociejewski followed with an absolute blast over the fence in left to give the Flames the walk off win, 6-5.

Facts & Figures vs. Dayton

• The Flames tallied twice as many hits, 10-5. Alyssa Griman led the way with a perfect 4-for-4 performance, followed by Samantha Ferguson with two. Kayla Wedl, Tara McElligott, Maddie Spinks and Kayla Pociejewski each tallied one.
• Pociejewski and Griman both finished with two RBIs. Ferguson finished with the remaining RBI.
• Griman crossed the plate twice to lead UIC, while Wedl, Spinks, Pociejewski and Kaelber all crossed once.
• Marley Hanlon started and pitched 6.1 innings to grab her first win of the season. The southpaw allowed one earned run off four hits while striking out five. Jennah Speth dealt 0.2 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) off one hit.

Game Highlights vs. Akron

• The Flames put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs off five hits for an early 4-0 lead. Tara McElligott singled, Alyssa Griman walked and Maddie Spinks put one through the left side to load the bags for Kayla Pociejewski's base-clearing double. McKennah Ulrey followed with another double, plating Pociejewski.
• Maddie Spinks batted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to left in the bottom of the fourth to add a run to UIC's lead, 5-0.
• A single, a steal and a double gave Akron its first run of the game in the top of the fifth, 5-1.
• The Zips scored two runs off two hits to pull within two in the top of the sixth, 5-3.
• UIC kept Akron off the bases in the top of the seventh, retiring the Zips in order to seal the deal on a 5-3 win.

Facts & Figures vs. Akron

• The Flames tallied eight hits to the Zips' five. Kayla Pociejewski picked up a multi-hit showing with two hits, while Samantha Ferguson, Tara McElligott, Alyssa Griman, Maddie Spinks, McKennah Ulrey and Alannah Cran each recorded one.
• Pociejewski recorded three RBI to lead the Flames, while Spinks and Ulrey each drove in one.
• Ferguson, McElligott, Griman, Spinks and Pociejewski each crossed the plate once for UIC.
• Christina Toniolo pitched the duration, improving to 3-5 on the season. The freshman allowed two earned runs off five hits.

Up Next

• The Flames will square off once again with Akron tomorrow before wrapping up the tournament with host Eastern Kentucky.