GAME ONE BOX SCORE

GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Coach Dee's Postgame Comments


VALPARAISO, Ind. -- The UIC baseball team (18-15-1, 13-5 HL) claimed its sixth-straight series win on Saturday afternoon as the Flames split a doubleheader at Valparaiso (14-20, 10-7 HL), dropping game one by a final of 5-4 and then prevailing in the finale, 4-1. UIC tallied 19 hits on the day and racked up five doubles. The Flames have now won 9 of its last 12 meetings against the Crusaders.

Sophomore Cody Bohanek highlighted UIC at the plate today by going 4-for-7 (.571) and recording two doubles and a pair of runs. Senior Jeff Boehm added three RBI to his league-leading season total which now sits at 42. Boehm also posted three hits in the two-game set along with redshirt junior Conor Philbin and sophomore Mickey McDonald.

GAME ONE RECAP

UIC led for a majority of the contest however four runs from the Crusaders in the bottom of the seventh frame proved to be the difference maker. The Flames out-hit Valpo by a margin of 11-8 as four separate UIC players collected multiple pokes.

Junior Ian Lewandowski (4-3) was charged with the loss as he tossed 6.1 innings and allowed seven hits and five earned runs.

The Flames grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the opening frame as redshirt senior Zenon Kolakowski started the day with a double down the right field line. He was then pushed over to third base on a sac-bunt from Bohanek and eventually sent home off a RBI-groundout from senior Tyler Detmer.

UIC plated two runs in the fourth inning to go ahead 3-0 as the first three runners reached base to start the frame. Redshirt senior Alex Lee and Kolakowski drove in both scores with a pair of singles.

Valpo answered with a lone run in the bottom of the fourth stanza off a sac-fly before taking hold of the lead in seventh with four scores.

Facing a 5-3 deficit in the ninth inning, UIC had hopes of a rally after Bohanek ripped a one-out double down the right field line. A single to center field by Boehm drove in Bohanek and then an infield single from McDonald advanced Boehm to second base. With a runner in scoring position, Philbin made solid contact on a 1-0 pitch, but flew out to right field to end the contest.

GAME TWO RECAP

The series finale was headlined by UIC pitcher Trevor Lane who tossed 6.2 innings of shutout ball and tied a team-season high with nine strikeouts. The junior lefty picked up his third straight win and improved to 4-2 on the year. During the last month of play, Lane has given up a mere two earned runs in 28.2 innings on the mound.

Senior Ryan Hinchley came in to relieve Lane for the final seven outs and secured his sixth save of the season. Hinchley fanned four Valpo batters and now owns 31 total strikeouts in 23.1 innings this season.

The Flames led wire-to-wire in game two as they plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Kolakowski began the contest by reaching base on a walk and then eventually scored off a wild pitch. Bohanek also touched home plate after being driven in on a groundout from Boehm.

Boehm recorded his second RBI of the game in the third frame, which gave UIC a 3-0 advantage. With Kolakowski on second base, Boehm poked a single through the right side that allowed Kolakowski to scamper home.

The Flames went up 4-0 in the eighth frame with their final run of the day after a RBI-single from Philbin. Valpo countered with its first and only score of the game to cement the 4-1 tally.

UIC will return to action next Wednesday at Northwestern with first pitch set for 3 p.m. CT.