CHICAGO (April 25, 2024) – The UIC softball team (16­-30, 9-11 MVC) returns to Flames Field Friday through Sunday to host Drake (19-22, 7-11 MVC) on Alumni Weekend. The entire series, the last home set of UIC's regular season schedule, will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available at UICFlames.com. Friday's game can also be heard live on the Flames Network at UICFlames.com.
 
This weekend's series will feature a number of special events and giveaways. On Friday, the first 100 fans will receive a mini-bat, courtesy of UIC Athletics and Pepsi. Saturday's contest will include recognition of all returning UIC softball alumnae and a special 30^th anniversary celebration of UIC's 1994 NCAA Women's College World Series team. Sunday's series finale will be Senior Day, with the Flames honoring their seven seniors in a pregame ceremony.
 
Drake at UIC
When: Friday-Sunday (April 26-28)
Where: Flames Field (839 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL 60608)
Admission: Free
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Flames Network (Friday only)
Live Stats: UICFlames.com
 
SCOUTING DRAKE

• UIC holds an 8-4 series lead against Drake after taking two of three against the Bulldogs last year at Buel Field in Des Moines. Graduate student Alannah Cran (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) capped off an 11-game regular season hitting streak and senior Larisa Villa (La Habra, Calif./La Habra) crushed her first collegiate home run in UIC's 5-2 clinching victory in the series finale.
• The Bulldogs are struggling to find their footing as of late, dropping four of their last five games. Earlier in Missouri Valley Conference play, Drake secured series wins against Illinois State, Evansville, and Murray State.
• Drake collectively owns a .274 batting average, which is second best in The Valley.
• Junior Emma Dighton is a dual threat for the Bulldogs. In the batter's box, she is batting a team-best .336 with 43 hits and eight doubles this season. In the circle, Dighton has pitched 67 innings in 18 appearances, striking out 20.
• Junior Destiny Lewis has hit a team-leading six home runs for the Bulldogs this season.
• Redshirt junior Molley Hoekstra is 10-5 in the circle, having pitched a team-high 93.1 innings with 64 strikeouts.

 
LAST TIME OUT: NOTRE DAME

• The Flames went toe-to-toe with another power conference opponent in ACC member Notre Dame (25-20, 8-13 ACC) Wednesday night, coming up short in a 1-0 pitcher's duel at Melissa Cook Stadium in South Bend, Ind.
• Graduate student Christina Toniolo (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) pitched the first five innings, scattering four hits while allowing the lone run and adding one strikeout. Classmate Carlee Jo Clark (Carol Stream, Ill./St. Francis/Southern Illinois) pitched one inning in relief, allowing one hit against the four batters she has faced.
• Junior Emma Gumont (Warren, Ohio/Champion/Notre Dame) collected the first double of her UIC career, blasting the ball to center field for extra bases in the third inning. Senior Anna Walker (Burnside, Ill./Warsaw) connected on a 1-0 pitch to the right-center gap for a double of her own two innings later. Walker has now collected a hit in six of her last nine games.

SCHEDULE CHANGE
Due to impending inclement weather tomorrow evening, Friday's 5 p.m. (CT) game time will be pushed up to Noon.
 
NEED TO KNOW
Fans are strongly encouraged to support NIL opportunities for UIC student-athletes through contributions to The Chicago Collective.
 
For more information, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Softball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_softball and @uicflames).
 
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