Softball picks up wins at first tournament of season

Taylor Cairns led the Flames with two hits Sunday versus Middle Tennessee. — Photo: Steve Woltmann

The softball team (2-3) came out victorious in its final game of the FGCU Kickoff Classic Sunday with a 5-1 win over Middle Tennessee at the FGCU Softball Complex.

The Flames also beat Memphis, 11-7, but lost to Kent State, Florida Gulf Coast and Michigan State during the tournament, which was held in Fort Myers, Florida.

The softball team cohosts the Total Control Sports Invitational with Loyola in Rosemont Friday through Sunday. They will compete against Iowa, Lipscomb, Eastern Kentucky, Indiana State and Western Illinois.

The Flames were clicking and converted their runs in the third, fourth and seventh frames versus Middle Tennessee Sunday.

UIC combined for seven hits, led by freshman Emily Wetzel and sophomore Taylor Cairns with two hits each. Sophomore Tiana Mack-Miller, freshman Skylee James and senior LaRi Mitchell additionally had hits in the game, with Mack-Miller (2), Wetzel (1) and Cairns (1) earning credit for RBIs. Cairns also had two stolen bases against the Blue Raiders.