Final Stats

	UIC 10, Oakland 9 Horizon League Baseball Championship Nischwitz Stadium • Fairborn, Ohio Box Score | Box Score

Fairborn, Ohio - In a wild and wacky opening game UIC used a six-run fourth inning and a late charge to down Oakland 10-9 in the first round of the Horizon League Baseball Championship to advance to the double elimination round.

All afternoon the Flames battled from behind in a game that featured 22 combined hits and seven errors. Trailing 2-0 after one inning UIC plated two runs in the second frame courtesy of a sacrifice fly RBI by Rob Calabrese and an Oakland error. The Grizzlies committed five errors in the game but none more costly than the four errors in the fourth inning that led to six runs for the Flames.

With Oakland holding a 6-3 lead in the fourth inning, the Flames sent nine men to the plate scoring six runs on two hits. Alex Dee (3-4, three runs) led off with a single and advanced to second on an errant pick-off attempt. Rob Calabrese walked and Scott Ota slashed a two-run double to left center scoring Dee and Calabrese to cut the deficit to 6-5. With two outs Brandon Gibis reached on an error, Conor Philbin and David Cronin each walked to load the bases. Oakland pitcher Jake Lee then unleashed a wild pitch scoring Gibis and on the same play, the Grizzlies committed two more errors allowing Philbin and Cronin to score from first base and take a 9-6 lead.

Oakland tied the game at 9-9 on a three-run shot from Zach Sterry in the top of the sixth inning off reliever Mitch Schulewitz. UIC manufactured the winning run in the eighth inning after a leadoff single from Alex Dee, he advanced to second on a sac bunt by Rob Calabrese and scored on a two-out single from Cody Bohanek. Horizon League Reliever of the Year Trevor Lane earned the victory with three innings of one-hit ball.

In the second game of the day, third-seeded Valparaiso knocked off No. 6 Northern Kentucky, 10-7. Therefore, the Flames will open the double-elimination portion of the tournament against top-seeded Wright State at 10 a.m. CDT at Nischwitz Stadium. It will be the sixth meeting between UIC and the Raiders since May 13.

For tournament updates, check www.horizonleague.com.