Cedar Falls, Iowa – Looking to end the weekend series with a victory, the UIC softball team jumped out to an early lead against the UNI Panthers in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) finale. A 6-run first inning gave the Flames the early lead, but a late comeback from the home team gave the Panthers the series sweep as UNI defeated UIC 14-10. Notably, every Flames player from the starting lineup notched a hit. The Flames fall to 17-24-1, 6-14 in conference play while the Panthers improve to 21-15, 9-4 in conference play.
Cameran Rios led off the game with a double to left field before advancing on a
Siena Stickney single up the middle. With Stickney stealing second,
Larissa Ortiz recorded the first RBI of the game when she brought home Rios with a bunt single. Redshirt-sophomore
Emily Brecht then recorded her first career homerun, sending the ball to left center field to put the Flames up 4-0. With just one out,
Nina Pesare kept the bats going with a single to the third baseman on a six-pitch count.
Ari O'Connell followed with her sixth home run of the season, tying for the team lead, and giving the Flames a 6-0 lead. On the mound, O'Connell and the Flames defense would get out of the bottom of the inning with bases loaded not allowing the Panthers a run as they led UNI 6-0 at the end of one. In the second, the Panthers cut into the Flames lead with a four-run inning. Neither side would record a run in the third, leaving the Flames on top 6-4. UIC added a run in the fourth. After singling and stealing second,
Sam Tourtillott made it home when Ortiz reached on an error by the Panthers, giving the Flames a 7-4 lead. The Panthers made up the deficit with a solo homer and an RBI single, cutting the Flames lead to one. Fifth inning action saw
Grace Taylor record the Flames third homer of the game with a three-run home run to left field, giving UIC a 10-6 lead over UNI. The Panthers went on to tally three runs in the bottom of the inning, making the score 10-9 at the end of five. In the sixth, the home team jumped ahead with a 5-run inning, taking a 14-10 lead. The Flames collected a hit in the seventh, but could not rally together any runs, falling to the Panthers 14-10.
The box score and play-by-play can be found
here
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT
The Flames remain on the road as they will head to Valparaiso, Ind. On Tuesday to take on the Valparaiso Beacons in a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) doubleheader. Action will begin with a 12:30 p.m. CT first pitch at the Valpo Softball Complex. Livestream will be available on
ESPN+, while live stats will be available on
UICFlames.com.
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