Baseball Falls To Saint Louis At Al Ogletree Classic

Feb. 19, 2011

EDINBURG, Texas - The Saint Louis Billikens scored early and often on Saturday afternoon en route to a 17-7 victory over the UIC baseball team at the Al Ogletree Classic, hosted by the University of Texas-Pan American.

Playing for the second time in less than 24 hours, the Flames (0-3) were plagued by five fielding errors as the Billikens (2-0) scored eight unearned runs en route to a decisive 17-7 victory.

Saint Louis scored twice in the top of the first off UIC starter Matt Heaslip (0-1), who was making his Flames debut on Saturday afternoon. The Billikens added four more runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-0 lead before UIC got on the board for the first time when Steve McGuiggan, who was hit by a pitch, came all the way around from first to score on a double by Jason Ganek.

Heaslip left the game after 3.2 IP, having allowed six runs, though just two were earned on Saturday. The Billikens then tagged relievers Tim Suminksi and Clint Terry for a combined nine runs over the next two innings to go ahead 15-2. UIC mounted a late rally down in Texas, plating four runs in the eighth inning and another in the ninth, but the damage had already been done.

McGuiggan has been hit by more pitches, 49, than any player in UIC history. The Apple Valley, Minn. native has reached base three times via the hit-by-pitch in as many games in 2011. Last season, McGuiggan was plunked 24 times, the second-highest single-season total in UIC history

Ryan Shober, Jon Ryan and Ganek each had a pair of hits for the Flames, while Joe Betcher collected a team-best two RBI.

UIC will close the Al Ogletree Classic on Sunday morning when they face the UTPA Broncs at 9 a.m. Junior right-hander Matt Salemi is slated to take the bump for the Flames in that contest.

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