CHICAGO, Ill. - Cleveland State opened Horizon League play by dropping a doubleheader at UIC on Friday afternoon at Flames Field.

UIC won the opener, 10-3, and took the nightcap, 10-0, in five innings.

The Flames took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first inning, but CSU responded on an RBI groundout by Sofia Johantgen and tied the game at 2-2 when Kait Gairing scored on a wild pitch.

UIC broke the tie with three runs in the fifth and Johantgen drove in her second run of the game with an RBI single in the sixth to slice the UIC lead to 5-3. However, the Flames plated five runs in the sixth to earn the win.

Bailee Gray finished 2-for-3 in the opener, while Riley Ries went 2-for-4 and Johantgen drove in two runs. Hanna Breeden, Kristin Catalano and Gairing all scored runs.

In the nightcap, the Flames scored four runs in the first inning and added two more in the second and four in the third.

Melissa Jacobsen, Mel Woodard and Mackenzie Joecken all had a hit for the Vikings.

Catalano worked the final 1 1/3 innings in the circle, giving up one run on one hit

The two teams will conclude the three-game series with a single game on Saturday (March25) at 1:00 pm ET.