<b>Steve McGuiggan</b> collected a game-high three hits on Sunday afternoon against the Kentucky Wildcats.

Baseball 2/27/2011 12:00:00 AM

Baseball Falls In Series Finale At Kentucky, 3-1

Feb. 27, 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The UIC baseball team's bid for its first series win of the season came up short on Sunday afternoon as the Flames fell to the Kentucky Wildcats at Cliff Hagan Stadium, 3-1.

The Flames (1-6) out-hit the Wildcats (4-4), 10 to five, but the visitors could not get the clutch hit when it mattered most.

After UIC left the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, Kentucky made them scored its first run on Sunday in the home half of the first inning. Thomas McCarthy doubled and advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Flames starter Matt Salemi (0-1). McCarthy would score on a single through the left side off the bat of Chad Wright.

Freshman left fielder Jon Ryan ignited the UIC offense in the top of the third with a one-out base hit to left center field. Andy Leonard followed with a single of his own and the two runners moved up when Harry Kammholz grounded out to second base. With Nick Addison at the dish, Wildcats starter Jordan Cooper let go a wild pitch of his own that allowed Ryan to score and tie the game at 1-1. Later in the at-bat Addison grounded out to second base to end the scoring threat.

Salemi ran into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the seventh inning. The right-hander walked the leadoff hitter, J.T. Riddle, who then advanced to second on another wild pitch. Kentucky's Brian Adams was hit by a pitch and Flames head coach Mike Dee lifted Salemi in favor of reliever Chris Hoffman.

Hoffman walked the first batter he faced to load the bases and then hit leadoff man Taylor Black which allowed Riddle to score the go-ahead run. Then, with the bags still packed, Hoffman balked in another tally to give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead. Lefty Eric Wyman came in the game and worked out of a jam by inducing a ground out and fanning the final two batters of the inning.

Steve McGuiggan returned to the leadoff spot for UIC on Sunday and he responded with a game-high three hits. The Apple Valley, Minn. native also stole his second base of the season in the game.

Ryan and second baseman Matt Serna also notched two hits apiece for the Flames.

UIC will face its second straight BCS-conference opponent next weekend when it heads to Columbia, Mo. to take on the Big XII Conference's Missouri Tigers. The two squads will play single games on Friday (6 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) sandwiched around a twin-bill on Saturday (1 p.m.).

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