EVANSTON, Ill. – In a game that was shortened to seven innings because of darkness, UIC scored in all seven frames and it picked up its third road win of the season with a 9-2 victory at Northwestern Tuesday afternoon.
 
Five different Flames (5-6) drove in runs against the Wildcats (2-9) with junior catcher Rob Calabrese matching a career high with three RBI for the fourth time. The backstop notched a season-high three hits, including two doubles.
 
Freshman Jacob Key made his second start and fourth appearance in his debut season at UIC. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native produced a quality start as he went 6.0 innings while allowing only two runs against 'Cats. Key struck out five batters for the second time in as many starts this season.
 
How It Happened
UIC went to work right away against Northwestern and starting pitcher Matt Gannon as it took only two batters to get the first run on the scoreboard. Second baseman David Cronin led off the game with a base hit through the left side before Cody Bohanek ripped a double down the line that allowed his fellow middle infielder to come home. The Flames added one more in the inning when Bohanek scored on Scott Ota's RBI single.
 
Key got an inning-ending double play to end the first inning and the offense continued to pad the lead in the top of the second. Thomas Norton hit the second UIC double of the day with one out. He took third on wild pitch and then scored on a passed ball charged to NU catcher Jack Claeys.
 
The Wildcats got a run of their own in the second inning on a sacrifice fly, but Key struck out Willie Bourbon with the bases loaded to end the frame and help the Flames maintain a 3-1 lead. The advantage would soon grow with another pair of runs on two hits in the top of the third. Bowen Ogata produced a one-out single and Matt Bottcher followed with a walk. Calabrese brought both baserunners home when he clubbed his second double of the season.
 
Northwestern's Matt Hopfner drew a lead-off walk to open the bottom of the third and he eventually scored when Joe Hoscheit grounded into a double play. Ota tallied his second RBI of the afternoon in the top of the fourth as Cronin scored on a groundout to the right side.
 
UIC led 6-2 after four innings as Calabrese added to the lead again in the top of the fifth. First, Bottcher walked and stole second base to get himself into scoring position with one out. Then Calabrese connected with a Tommy Bordignon offering and pounded it down the left-field line for his second two-bagger in as many at-bats. Bottcher scored UIC's seventh run of the day on the play.
 
Ricardo Ramirez produced the game's only home run in the top of the sixth, taking Tyler Lass out to left field with two outs. Ota tried to keep the line moving when he singled and advanced to third base on a botched pick-off attempt, but Ogata flew out to end the threat.
 
The Flames got consecutive singles from Mickey McDonald, Calabrese and Brandon Gibis with Gibis' base hit through the right side brining McDonald in from second for the ninth and final run of the day.
 
Key turned it over to the bullpen in the top of the seventh. NU pinch hitter Kyle Burnett, Jr. doubled off of Austin Smith, but he was soon thrown out by Calabrese trying to steal third base. Smith retired Jack Dunn on a fly ball for the second out before Mitchell Schulewitz came in a struck out another pinch hitter, Mat Jones, looking to end the ballgame after seven innings.
 
Beyond the Box Score

• Key became the first UIC pitcher to win for a second time this season Tuesday. In his two starts, the newcomer has allowed only three earned runs over 12.0 innings on the bump. He's tallied 10 strikeouts in those two victories and the opponent (Grambling State & Northwestern) is batting just .179 against him.
• After throwing 44 pitches in 2.0 scoreless innings at Missouri on March 3, his first appearance of the season, Schulewitz needed but four tosses to record the final out of the game Tuesday. The senior has surrendered just one hit this year.
• Ramirez hit his team-leading third home run of the season at Northwestern. He has reached base safely in a team-high 10 consecutive games, scored a team-high 11 runs in 11 games, and he is slugging at a clip of .568 this spring.
• Bottcher walked a career-high three times and scored twice for the second game in a row. By comparison, NU's entire lineup walked four times and scored twice on Tuesday.
• The Flames improved to 5-1 this season when hitting at least one home run in a game. The only loss came when UIC hit a season-high three long balls in an 11-10 loss at Missouri on Sunday.
• UIC collected a season-high five extra-base hits for the third time this year, and the second time in as many games. The four doubles hit by the Flames Tuesday marked a season high in that category.

 Up Next

• Earlier Tuesday, UIC announced a schedule change in its upcoming series against Chicago State. The home opener, which was originally scheduled to be played Friday at Granderson Stadium, has been moved up to Thursday, March 9 at 3:05 p.m.
• The resumption of the four-game series, which is scheduled to have two games on each team's home field, will be dependent on the weather forecast.
• Please check UICFlames.com for updates.