Niles, Ohio - UIC (27-8, 15-2 in Horizon) extended its winning streak to eight games with a doubleheader sweep of the Youngstown State Penguins at Eastwood Field Friday afternoon.  The Flames pounded out 19 hits and scored a season high 23 runs in the opener.  It was the most runs scored in a game by UIC since they scored 24 on February 13, 2015 at Mississippi Valley State.
 
Game one saw seven different Flames drive in at least two runs, led by David Cronin's five RBI output.  Jake Dahlberg picked up his Horizon League leading seventh win allowing two runs on four hits. 
 
In the nightcap Reid Birlingmair (4-2) allowed two runs (one earned) and struck out nine in seven innings to pick up the win.  Connor Ryan (1.0 IP) and Alex Padilla (1.0 IP) tossed a scoreless inning in relief.  Cody Bohanek and Rob Calabrese each drove in two runs. 
  
How It Happened (Game One)

The Flames opened the scoring in game one in the top of the second inning sending 11 batters to the dish scoring five runs on three hits. Rob Calabrese led off the inning with a single to right field.  Scott Ota and Ricardo Ramirez worked the count to draw walks and Bowen Ogata followed with a bases loaded RBI walk to plate the first run.  Brandon Gibis lifted a sacrifice fly RBI to left field, scoring Ota.  Mickey McDonald reached on a fielder's choice to bring home Ramirez and give the Flames a 3-0 lead. With runners on first and second, David Cronin drove a hard single to the right side, scoring McDonald.  Cody Bohanek laced a single to left as Cronin scored, giving the Flames a 5-0 lead.
 
UIC added five more runs in the fourth inning.  Scott Ota lined a single up the middle to score David Cronin and Cody Bohanek.  After a ground rule double by Bowen Ogata, Brandon Gibis roped a single to right field to bring in two more runs.
 
The Flames batted around twice in the seventh inning and exploded for 12 runs to extend the lead to 22-0.  After Youngstown tallied two runs in the eighth, David Cronin drilled a solo shot to right field in the ninth inning, his fifth of the season.  Cronin went 3-5 with five RBI and four runs scored in the game one victory.
 
Jake Dahlberg (7-1) cruised on the mound for the Flames, tossing 4.2 perfect innings before allowing a single to Trey Birdis in the fifth.  The left hander recorded his sixth quality start of the season, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out six batters in seven innings of work.
 
How It Happened (Game Two)
 
UIC picked up where they left off in game one as the Flames batted around and scored six times in the second inning.  Scott Ota started the hit parade with a single to right, Ricardo Ramirez doubled to left center.  Bowen Ogata hit a sacrifice fly that plated Ota and a throwing error allowed Ramirez to score, giving the Flames an early 2-0 lead.  With the bases loaded, Cody Bohanek laced a singled to left, scoring Mickey McDonald and Thomas Norton.  Rob Calabrese lined a two-run double to center field that allowed David Cronin and Bohanek to score and stake Reid Birlingmair to a 6-0 advantage.  Birlingmair allowed two runs (one earned) with nine strikeouts.   
 
Beyond the Box Score

• UIC has played four doubleheaders in Horizon League play and the Flames are 7-1 in those eight games.
• UIC is 23-0 this season when holding the opposition to three runs or less.

Up Next
The Flames conclude road trip with a doubleheader at Northern Kentucky on Sunday at 11:00 am CT.  It is the Flames second doubleheader in three days.