May 11, 2014

Box Score

NILES, Ohio - The UIC baseball team (23-22, 16-11) clinched second place in the regular season and the No. 2 seed in the Horizon League Tournament on Sunday afternoon with an 8-2 series finale win at Youngstown State. The Flames bullpen limited YSU to a mere four hits and one earned run as sophomore pitcher Jack Andersen was credited with the win, improving to 3-3 on the season.

With UIC in front 3-2 after seven frames, the Flames plated five runs in the final two innings to seal their last league road game of the year.

UIC has now finished first or second in conference play in 13 of the last 15 years, the most of any current Horizon League program.

"I am very proud of this group," said Head Coach Mike Dee. "To finish second in this competitive conference is impressive considering that we started 0-4 to begin league play, suffered some key injuries on the mound and have five first-year starters in our lineup. Now we need to continue to stay focused, finish the season strong and enter the tournament with some momentum."

The Penguins actually jumped out in front with a lone run in the first inning, after a sac fly by Matt Sullivan.

The Flames tied it up in the third on RBI-sinlgle from freshman Mickey McDonald and then took the lead for good after a two-RBI single from redshirt junior Zenon Kolakowski in the fourth frame. Both McDonald and Kolakowski finished the day with two hits and two RBI.

YSU pulled to within one of the Flames (3-2) in the bottom of the seventh as they plated a runner off another sac fly, this time compliments of game one hero Kevin Hix.

UIC would use the final two innings to score five times and put the contest out of reach. Redshirt sophomore Conor Philbin posted his eighth double of the season in the eighth inning as he sent Tyler Detmer and Jeff Boehm across this dish.

The Flames return to action on Tuesday as they travel to their third Big Ten opponent of the season in Michigan.