CHICAGO – UIC fell behind Monday and the Flames mounted multiple comebacks, but ultimately fell to the visiting Youngstown State Penguins at Flames Field, 7-5.

After being shutout by YSU starting pitcher Elle Buffenbarger in the first game of the series on Sunday, the Flames (4-16, 1-4 Horizon League) got the offense in rhythm on Monday. However, the Penguins (15-11, 5-1) proved to be to be too much at the dish en route to a series-clinching win.

YSU hung four runs on the scoreboard in the top of the second against UIC starting pitcher Miranda Gomez to take the game's first lead. Yazmine Romero brought in two with a single up the middle before Megan Turner plated two more with a double to left-center field. Christina Toniolo came on in relief to face the next hitter and she induced a groundout to shortstop that ended the rally and the inning.

The Flames got their first score of the morning in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-out rally. Maica Ingles singled with two gone before Tara McElligott walked for the second time in as many plat appearances. Larisa Villa stepped in a flipped a ball between the charging left fielder and the diving shortstop to allow Ingles to score and trim the deficit to three.

Meanwhile, Toniolo steadied things in the circle upon entering the game. She retired the first six Penguins she faced in ordered and worked around a two-out walk to end the fourth.

The bats picked up where they left off in the bottom of the fourth. Emma Crowley was hit by a pitch and Grace Fleming moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Dee Dee Caskey struck a ball to right-center field that ticked off the glove of YSU's Avrey Schumacher, allowing Crowley to score. Jojo Santiago then brought Caskey in with a sacrifice fly to right.

The heart of the Penguins lineup struck back in the top of the fifth. A lead-off single preceded a pair of home runs to straightaway center field pushed the YSU lead back to four runs and brought on Alyssa McIntosh in relief for the Flames. She set the next three down in order, punctuating that frame with her first strikeout of the contest.

UIC answered in its own half of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and two away, Fleming laced a double down the line in left to score McElligott from third and Hailey Cowing from second to pull the Flames back within a pair, trailing 7-5.

Notes

• Tara McElligott was officially 0-for-0 at the plate Monday, but she reached safely all four times. The senior walked in her first two plate appearances and was hit by a pitch in the next two. She was only retired once in the three-game series and had an on-base percentage of .909 with three extra-base hits.
• Grace Fleming's RBI double extended her hitting streak to a team-high five games. She's reached base safely in six straight contests. Monday marked the first multi-RBI performance of her young career.
• In five Horizon League games this spring, Fleming, a freshman, is batting .412 with a team-high seven hits. Classmate Hailey Cowing is hitting at a clip of .364 with three RBI and a team-high five runs scored in conference play.
• Alyssa McIntosh closed the game with three scoreless innings of relief for the Flames. She allowed only one hit and did not walk a batter.

Up Next

UIC will hit the road tomorrow to face Notre Dame (22-6) at Melissa Cook Stadium in South Bend, Ind. It marks the first matchup between the Flames and Fighting Irish since Feb. 19, 2011, in Orlando, Fla. It's UIC's first trip to South Bend since April 15 2004, when the Flames won 4-3 in 10 innings.

Tuesday's matchup, which gets underway at 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT, will be shown on ACC Network Extra.