May 17, 2009
Box Score
VALPARAISO, Ind.- Steve McGuiggan's RBI single with two out in top of the 10th brought home the decisive run for the UIC baseball team, as the Flames defeated Valparaiso, 2-1, in the regular season finale at Emory G. Bauer Field on Sunday.
Derrick Miramontes closed the game with two scoreless innings to get the win and improve to 6-0 for the Flames (26-21, 17-6 Horizon League), who took advantage of two errors by the Crusaders (27-22, 12-11 Horizon League) to score both of their runs in unearned fashion.
The Crusaders had plenty to play for. A win over the regular-season champion Flames would have given Valparaiso the third seed in the upcoming Horizon League Baseball Championship, but UIC's victory allowed idle Wright State to clinch that spot.
Unlike the previous meeting between the two teams back on April 25, when 26 combined runs and 32 combined hits were produced, offense was more difficult to come by this time around. Only nine total hits were tallied between the two sides, and the contest remained 1-1 for the final five regulation innings until the Flames scored in the 10th.
UIC scored first on Ryan O'Gara's throwing error in the second, but Valpo evened the score on Matt Lenski's fourth-inning RBI double.
That's how the score stayed until the 10th, when Tony Altavilla walked and Steven Humble reached on reliever Austen Siwiec's fielding error on a sac bunt attempt. Brandon Harwell laid down a successful sac bunt of his own to put two in scoring position with one away.
Altavilla was caught stealing at the plate, allowing Humble to move into third. McGuiggan followed by ripping a single up the middle that allowed Humble to trot home with the go-ahead run.
Miramontes induced a game-ending twin-killing off the bat of Kyle Muhlsteff in the bottom of the 10th to wrap up the regular season campaign.
The Flames were able to get work for six different pitchers, including ace Adam Worthington, with none throwing more than two innings.
UIC heads to Lorain, Ohio for the 2009 Horizon League Baseball Championship later this week. The Flames' opening game will be this Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m. Central.
