NEW ORLEANS – UIC got out to an early lead at New Orleans Saturday afternoon, but the Privateers erased a pair of four run deficits to top the Flames, 8-5, in the second game of the 2017 MLB Urban Youth Invitational on Maestri Field at First NBC Ballpark.
 
The Flames hung a crooked number, four runs, on UNO's Riley Hodge in the second inning with freshman Matt Bottcher delivering the biggest blow on a two-run single. The Privateers got an unearned run back in the bottom of the fifth before UIC scratched one out on Brandon Gibis' RBI single in the top of the sixth.
 
The visitors surrendered three runs in the bottom of the inning, but maintained a 5-4 lead when the frame finished as Connor Ryan fanned Samuel Capielano with a runner aboard to end the stanza. New Orleans broke all the way through and grabbed a 6-5 lead on an RBI single from Dakota Phillips. The Privateers added two more to the lead before UIC put runners on the corners in the top of the ninth before ultimately falling, 8-5.
 
How It Happened
The infield defense went around the horn for an inning-ending double play to finish the bottom of the first inning before the offense went to work in the top of the second. Cleanup hitter David Cronin laced a lead-off double to left-center field before Rob Calabrese walked and Ricardo Ramirez reached on an infield single to load the bases for Gibis. The man who started the double play in the half-inning prior drew a walk on a full count to bring Cronin home for the first run of the day.
 
The Flames weren't done there, however. Bottcher was in the lineup for the second consecutive day and he delivered a two-run single up the middle on the first pitch he saw from UNO's Riley Hodge. Cody Bohanek delivered the inning's fourth run when he sent a sacrifice fly into center field that plated Gibis.
 
In his first start since April 28, 2015, fifth-year senior Jack Andersen worked relatively unscathed through the first four innings. The Privateers picked up an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning when John Cable led off the frame with a double and came in to score with two outs on a UIC throwing error. Andersen then induced an inning-ending ground ball that stranded another runner 90 feet from the dish.
 
The Flames pushed across an unearned run of their own in the top of the sixth. With two away, the Privateer centerfielder misplayed a ball hit by Ramirez, allowing the UIC first baseman to safely reach second base. Then Gibis delivered his second RBI of the day with a base knock to center to push his team's lead to 5-1.
 
New Orleans got that tally back and then some in the home-half of the sixth. Back-to-back doubles followed a lead-off walk with Orryn Veillon's two-bagger driving in two runs. Veillon swiped third base, but Andersen spun back-to-back strikeouts before Cable delivered an RBI single to right to cut the deficit to one. Connor Ryan took over for the Flames and he struck out Samuel Capielano on three pitches to preserve the lead at that point.
 
Both teams sent three up and three down in the seventh inning, and after UIC went down in order in the top of the eighth, New Orleans was able to snag the lead for the first time Saturday. Dakota Phillips delivered a two-run single that turned a one-run deficit to a one-run lead with one swing. The Privateers added two more runs before Dakota Dean popped up to Cronin at second base to end the inning.
 
Ramirez singled off UNO's Jarred Taylor in the hope of igniting a ninth-inning rally. Cody Bohanek drew a two-out walk, but both were left on base when the game ended on a strikeout by Taylor.

Beyond the Box Score

• Andersen made his first appearance of the season, and his first since May 22, 2015 against Milwaukee. It was the right-hander's first start since April 28 of that season when tossed against Northern Illinois.
• The Palatine, Ill., native struck out six, the most since sending down eight batters against Mississippi Valley State on Feb. 14, 2015. He went 8.0 innings and earned the win in a 12-5 victory for the Flames.
• Matt Bottcher turned in his third hit in two collegiate starts. Recruited as an infielder, the Romeoville, Ill., native has found a spot in left field to start the season for the Flames. He's batting .375 through UIC's two games.
• After seven of nine members of the starting lineup picked up at least one hit on Friday, only four Flames connected against the Privateers. Ramirez and Gibis led the team with two knocks apiece.
• Cronin, Gibis and Bottcher have each hit safely in both games at the MLB Urban Youth Invitational. Cronin has hit safely in six consecutive games going back to the 2016 campaign. He's reached base safely in nine games in a row. Bohanek also has an on-base streak of nine games going back to last season.
• Cronin is batting .500 (4-of-8) with a team-high four hits on the season. The second baseman also tallied UIC's second extra-base hit of the year with his second-inning double.

Up Next

• UIC will finish the weekend back at Barrow Stadium on Sunday with a twinbill.
• The Flames are slated to meet Grambling State at 12 p.m. CT, before a rescheduled game against Prairie View A&M is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. The Panthers will also played for a second time Sunday as they are slated to play Southern in the early part of the afternoon.
• Freshman Jacob Key is slated to make his collegiate debut on the mound against Grambling State before sophomore Reid Birlingmair makes his fourth career start in the tournament finale against PVAMU.