CHICAGO – Game two of Friday's doubleheader saw the University of Evansville softball team erupt for a season-high 16 runs to earn a split against UIC at Flames Field. Saturday's 1 p.m. game will decide the series. With the game two victory, UE picked up its 12th Missouri Valley Conference win - its highest tally since 2016.
 
Game 1 – UIC 8, UE 6
UIC scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth and fended off a late challenge to take game one by a final score of 8-6. Niki Bode was a perfect 4-for-4 while scoring two runs in the game. Jess Willsey and Morgan Adams recorded two hits apiece.
 
UE opened the scoring in the top of the first. With two outs and two on, Adams singled up the middle to bring in Bode, who singled earlier in the frame. Keghan Pye's single scored Emma McDonald in the top of the 2^nd to double the lead to 2-0. McDonald led off with a walk before a 2-base error put her in scoring position.
 
The Flames scored two runs in the bottom of the 2^nd to tie the game before Bode scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 5^th to retake the lead. Bode scored on a foul out by Adams. Things quickly turned as UIC scored six runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 8-3. The Flames scored six runs on six hits to take their first lead. They had a chance to add more before stranding the bases loaded.
 
Down to its final three outs, UE did its best to get back in the game. Following a Bode double, Maliyah Wilkins walked and Adams singled to load the bases for Jess Willsey who came through with a bases-clearing double to make it a 2-run game. UIC was able secure the victory with a fly out.
 
Game 2 – UE 16, UIC 0
Highlighted by a 12-run 3^rd inning, the Purple Aces earned a doubleheader split over UIC with a 16-0 victory in five innings. Evansville scored 16 runs on 14 hits with Brooke Voss, Maliyah Wilkins, Morgan Adams, Eliza Piggott, and Emma McDonald each picking up two hits apiece. Wilkins scored a game-high three runs. Alexis Tucker was stellar in the circle, tossing the 5-inning shutout. She gave up six hits while striking out three Flame batters.
 
Following a pair of scoreless frames to open the game, Evansville scored 12 runs on eight hits in the third. With one out, Niki Bode walked before the offense followed with four hits in a row. Jess Willsey got the Aces on the board with a 2-run single while Piggott followed with an RBI double. McDonald reached on an error to bring up Keghan Pye. She made it a 5-0 game with a single.
 
Bode added a 2-run single in the inning while Voss, Adams, and Piggott capped off the inning with RBI's. Voss hit a solo home run in the 4^th while three more would score in the 5^th. Piggott recorded an RBI double before McDonald followed with a 2-run triple. Tucker retired the side in order in the bottom of the frame to complete the victory.