April 26, 2008
Box Score
Chicago, Ill.- The wind was blowing out of Les Miller Field at a vigorous pace, making Saturday's second game between the UIC baseball team and Trinity International a tough time for pitchers.
Unfortunately for the Flames, their hurlers took the brunt of the wind's punishment as UIC dropped a 15-13 slugfest to the visiting Trojans.
Devin Melecio was 3-for-4 with his first two collegiate home runs, while Andy Leonard was 4-for-5.
The game began in sour fashion for the Flames (23-18), as starter Don Phillis was roughed up for seven runs in just one-third of an inning. Phillis gave up a leadoff homer to Scott Lawson, and three batters later he allowed a two-run shot to Chris Harang. After two more hits and a pair of walks, he was relieved by Brad Riegler.
The UIC offense got Phillis off the hook, scoring 10 total runs during the third and fourth innings. A six-run fourth, capped by Rafael Garcia's go-ahead sacrifice fly, put UIC up 10-9.
Melecio hit a solo shot in the fifth to extend the Flames' lead to two, but Trinity International (17-19) tallied five runs in the sixth, including three off of losing pitcher Eric Wyman, to go up 14-11.
The Trojans padded their lead with another run on a Harang solo shot in the seventh.
In the bottom half of the seventh Melecio went deep again to get UIC within three.
The Flames threatened in the ninth. Melecio led off with a single and eventually scored on Jake Carr's RBI single. But with runners at the corners and Brett Schaefer at the dish representing the winning run, right-hander Caleb Johnson induced the UIC slugger to hit a grounder to third that was converted into a game-ending double play.
UIC hosts Chicago State at Les Miller Field this Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.
