SAN DIEGO - UIC softball (1-1) split opening day of the season, grabbing a 1-0 victory over the Cal Poly Mustangs in the first game; and falling 9-1 to San Diego State in five innings. The Flames will head into tomorrow with games against Stanford and a rematch vs. San Diego State. 

GAME ONE
The Flames and Mustangs squared off in a defensive fight in game one. Carlee Jo Clark got the first start of her Flames career and put on a clinic. The junior transfer from Southern Illinois pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing eight hits and two walks. 

Clark showed her composure early on in the game, with the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning of play. Clark forced the final out into a groundout that she fielder herself, getting out of the jam early. After the early jitters, Clark locked in and never looked back.

Offensively, the Flames were quiet, struggling to get a rally going in the early going. It wasn't until the sixth inning that the Flames were able to get on the board. 

Maica Ingles reached base off a hit-by-pitch with one out. Tara McElligott followed up with a rope through the shortstop and third baseman to put runners on first and second. Larisa Villa hit into the second baseman but was able to beat out the double play, putting the go-ahead run at third base. 

Mary Jones came in to pinch it for Clark, and after taking the first pitch, managed an RBI hit that put the Flames on top for good. UIC went on to win 1-0 in their first game of the season.

GAME TWO
The Flames started strong, scoring a run in the first inning behind an impressive couple of hits from Ingles and McElligott. Ingles started the rally with a one-out triple down the first base line that put the Flames in a great spot to get on the board early on. McElligott followed Ingles' lead, smacking a pitch into left center and scoring Ingles.

UIC was unable to get another rally going in the second game of the day, finishing in five innings and falling 9-1. 

QUICK HITS

• Tara McElligott went 3-4 on the day, grabbing an RBI double and one walk.
• Mary Jones went 2-3 on the day and collected an RBI.
• Carlee Jo Clark went for a complete-game shutout in her first appearance in a Flames uniform. This is the first opening day complete-game in a season opener since Elaine Heflin did so against IUPUI in 2017. 
• Maica Ingles went 2-3, accounted for both of the Flames runs, and slugged 1.333 on the day.