May 6, 2006
Box Score
Niles, Ohio- The UIC baseball dropped its first Horizon League series of the season after falling both games of a road doubleheader at Youngstown State on Saturday.
UIC fell to 27-17 overall and 178-6 in conference play.
Game One: Youngstown State 2, UIC 1
Starter Joe Skinner threw well in 8.1 innings of work, but the last hitter he allowed to reach base ended up being the deciding run as the Penguins scored the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth to nip the Flames, 2-1.
A two-out RBI single by Justin Banks in the fifth broke a scoreless tie before the Flames scored a run of their own in the top of the eighth. With two out and Larry Gempp Jr. on after a single to right, Justin Johnson ripped a single into left field that moved Gempp to third. Ben Trotter then hit a grounder to short that was dropped by Lou Gattozzi and allowed Gempp to score.
Skinner allowed just one run through eight innings before J.D. Hannan led off the bottom of the ninth with a single. After a passed ball and a sacrifice bunt advanced Hannan to third, Jason Foster was called in to relieve Skinner and end the Penguin threat. But Brandon Caipen ended the game with a two-out single up the middle that plated Hannan.
Game Two: Youngstown State 12, UIC 7
Youngstown State scored eight unanswered runs to take a 12-7 win in the second game of the twinbill.
The Penguins jumped ahead in the bottom of the first with four runs off of starter Ryan Martin.
UIC responded in the top of the second with three runs. Nick Rainwater drew a bases-loaded walk to plate a run, followed by an RBI single from Mark Hallberg. Larry Gempp Jr. reached on a fielder's choice to plate the third run of the frame and cut the YSU lead to 4-3.
The Flames tied the game with a run in the third on two consecutive doubles by Justin Johnson and Ben Trotter to lead off the inning.
Trotter was at it again in the fourth, driving in two runs on a double to right center to give UIC a 6-4 lead. Ted Rosinski followed with an RBI single to increase the UIC advantage to 7-4.
But Youngstown State chipped away at the lead single runs in the fourth and fifth to trim UIC's lead to a run.
The Penguins then reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the seventh, scoring twice off of Jason Foster to go up 8-7.
Youngstown State added four runs off of Adam Worthington in the bottom of the eighth.
UIC takes a brief break from league play when the Flames host Northwestern this Tuesday at Les Miller Field at 7:30 p.m.
