March 12, 2010
Box Score
WACO, Texas - The UIC baseball team surrendered a late lead on Friday night and fell to the Big XII Conference's Baylor Bears, 9-7.
Trailing by two runs in the top of the ninth, UIC (2-9, 0-0 Horizon League) loaded the bases for leadoff man Steve McGuiggan, but the junior grounded back to Baylor (9-6, 0-0 Big XII Conference) hurler Brooks Pinckard to end the ballgame.
The Flames grabbed their first lead of the evening when shortstop Andy Leonard rapped a two-run single to left in the top of the seventh to plate teammates Chris Rutta and Matt Serna to give UIC a 7-6 lead.
Rafael Garcia, making his fourth career start, held the Bears at bay in the bottom of the seventh in his final inning of work. The junior allowed six runs and struck out two in the game.
The Flames came up empty in the top half of the eighth, but Baylor struck for three runs in the bottom of the frame, capped off by a triple off the bat of leadoff man Logan Vick.
UIC had three errors in the game, two of which came in the decisive eighth inning.
Chris Rutta supplied much of the offense for UIC, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI. He now has a team-high 13 RBI on the young season.
UIC and Baylor will be back on the field tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Sophomore LHP Michael Heesch (1-1, 4.11 ERA) is slated to be on the mound for the Flames and he'll be opposed by the Bears' RHP Logan Verrett (1-2, 4.29 ERA).
