The Wisconsin softball team gave up a pair of home runs and lost to Illinois-Chicago, 2-1, on a hot and windy Thursday afternoon at Flames Field in Chicago. The Badgers drop to 25-15 on the year and finish the week 1-1 against their Horizon league opponents.

The Badgers got on the board early, scoring one run in the top of the first. Mandy Liles walked to give Wisconsin its first baserunner, and with two outs, Anna Jones lined a double into the right centerfield gap to score Liles from second.

UIC answered in the bottom of the second with one quick swing of the bat. Rightfielder Amber Stachura sent a pitch over the left centerfield wall for her 10th homerun of the season to knot the game up at one apiece.

In the bottom of the third, the Flames again took advantage of the strong wind blowing out of the stadium to take the lead. Leadoff hitter Edel Leyden hit a solo shot to right center for her team-leading 13th homerun of the season.

A pitcher’s duel after the third inning, neither team could advance a runner past second. Andrea Kirchberg tallied eight strikeouts on the day, while UIC’s starter Ali Aguilar kept Wisconsin scoreless through the final six innings.

The Badgers return to Goodman Diamond and Big Ten conference play this Sunday against the Indiana Hoosiers. Sunday’s doubleheader versus IU begins at noon.