The Valpo softball team concluded an eight-game homestand at the Valpo Softball Complex on Wednesday afternoon, falling to visiting UIC by a 4-1 final.

How It Happened

• The start of the game looked much like Tuesday’s matchup between the two squads, as over the first three innings, neither team got a runner past second base. The best chance early on for either team came in the top of the second, as UIC got a leadoff single who moved up to second on a wild pitch. But starting pitcher Caitlyn Kowalski (Temperance, Mich./Notre Dame Academy) retired the next three batters in order, all in the air to keep the runner at second.
• UIC cracked the scoreboard first in the top of the fourth, as a pair of Valpo errors led to the Flames plating three unearned runs.
• The Beacons got one of those runs back right away in their half of the fourth. Sophomore Kim Rodas (Sen Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) drew a one-out walk, and pinch-runner Lana Tellez (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills) eventually scored on an RBI triple from sophomore Lexi Szostak (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park).
• UIC closed the scoring as it responded with a two-out RBI double in the top of the fifth.
• Valpo had a pair of base hits over the final three innings, but neither runner was able to advance past first base.

Inside the Game

• Wednesday’s game was the second in Valpo’s three-game, split-site Valley series against the Flames. The series concludes April 30 in Chicago.
• Szostak went 2-of-3 at the plate Wednesday, accounting for half of Valpo’s base hits. It was the third multi-hit game of her collegiate career and second in the last four days.
• Szostak’s RBI triple in the fourth inning was the first three-bagger of her career.
• Sophomore Kam Utendorf (Columbus Grove, Ohio/Columbus Grove [Black Hawk College]) reached base twice as well, tallying a hit and a walk.
• Utendorf and Szostak teamed up to turn a double play in the sixth inning, the 10^th double play by the Valpo defense this season.
• Kowalski was charged with the tough-luck loss in the circle despite not giving up an earned run in her 3.2 innings of work. Freshman Anna Wilming (Columbus, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) tossed the final 3.1 innings in relief, scattering four hits and surrendering just one run.
• Neither Kowalski or Wilming issued a walk on Wednesday, the second straight game Valpo pitching has been flawless when it comes to free passes, as freshman Sydney McDermott (Stout, Ohio/Portsmouth West) did not walk a batter on Tuesday.
• Prior to Tuesday, the Valpo pitching staff had not had a walk-free game all season. The last game with no walks issued by the Beacons’ pitching also came against UIC at home, last season on April 19.
• The last time Valpo posted back-to-back games with no walks from its pitchers came in games against Eastern Kentucky and Charleston Southern Feb. 16, 2018.

Next Up

Valpo (8-23, 2-8 MVC) hits the road for its first road games since March 17, making the trip to Normal, Ill. to face Illinois State this weekend. The three-game series begins Friday afternoon at 5 p.m.