CHICAGO – UIC won for the 30^th time in 2017 on Friday afternoon when it produced its second walk-off win of the season, a 1-0 triumph over Georgia Tech in the second game of a doubleheader at Granderson Stadium.
 
The Flames (30-10) have won at least 30 games for the 13^th time in program history and the 10^th time under head coach Mike Dee, but only the first time since 2008. The 2017 Flames eclipsed the 2002 squad as the fastest team to 30 wins in program history. The 2002 group won No. 30 in game No. 41 and went on to win a school-record 39 games.
 
The Yellow Jackets (21-21) took the opener, 3-0, thanks to a pair of solo home runs and an unearned run with two outs in the seventh inning. UIC got its revenge in the nightcap when Rob Calabrese doubled with one out in the bottom of the ninth and eventually scored on a wild pitch from GT's Zac Ryan.
 
How It Happened (Game One)
The Yellow Jackets stranded three baserunners over the first two innings, including two in scoring position, before breaking the seal on the scoreboard in the top of the third. With one out third baseman Trevor Craport hooked a solo home run down the line in left to give Georgia Tech a 1-0 lead.
 
The visiting team doubled its lead with another solo blast in to open the top of the fifth. This time it was center fielder Ryan Peurifoy who sent a Reid Birlingmair offering into the Yellow Jackets' bullpen in left-center field.
 
Georgia Tech scratched out another tally in the top of the seventh inning against the UIC bullpen. Designated hitter Kel Johnson flipped a base hit into right field against the Flames' Mitchell Schulewitz that brought Wade Bailey around to score an unearned run and increase the lead to three.
 
The Flames could not solve starter Xzavion Curry or closer Jared Datoc. Curry secured his fifth win of the season behind eight scoreless innings. He struck out six and walked one. Datoc nailed down his second  save of the season with a perfect ninth.
 
How It Happened (Game Two)
The starting pitchers told the story on both sides in the second game. UIC's Jake Dahlberg retired the first nine Georgia Tech hitters he faced in order before issuing a four-pitch walk to open the top of the fourth.
 
GT's Keyton Gibson was sharp for his team, as well. Calabrese walked to lead off the second inning, but was soon erased on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, Ricardo Ramirez singled sharply to center field, but the Flames couldn't scratch out a run as Scott Ota was stranded on third base as the inning ended.
 
UIC threatened again in the bottom of the fifth thanks to back-to-back singles from Brandon Gibis and Mickey McDonald with one away, but Gibis was left at second base after a pair of putouts by GT second baseman Wade Bailey.
 
Dahlberg continued to cruise for the home team. He allowed a hit in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, including a one-out double in the top of the seventh to Kel Johnson. The southpaw got a grounder to Cody Bohanek and one of his six strikeouts on the day to strand the runner right there at second.
 
Dahlberg was relieved by Connor Ryan in the top of the ninth. Bailey hit a ball that Ota tried to make a diving stop on that fell for a base hit. The GT second baseman tried to stretch it into a double, but Ota made a perfect throw to Bohanek to cut him down. After a walk and a strikeout, Johnson doubled for the second time in as many at-bats to get Craport (walk) to third base with two away. Ryan reared back and punched out Coleman Poje with two Jackets in scoring position to keep the score at 0-0.
 
The Flames, meanwhile, were able to put a man aboard after McDonald's single in the fifth. The Yellow Jackets retired 12 hitters in a row before Calabrese busted out of the box for a two-bagger on a two-strike pitch against Micah Carpenter. Georgia Tech turned to its own Ryan, Zac Ryan, and he got Ota to ground out to first base, which allowed Calabrese to take third. The first pitch Ryan offered to Ramirez bounced in front of catcher Kyle McCann and kicked to the backstop, allowing Calabrese to charge home and score the game-winner.
 
Beyond the Box Score

• UIC entered the series with the fourth-best ERA in the NCAA at 2.66 through April 25. After allowing two earned runs over 18 innings, that number lowered to 2.58. The lowest single-season ERA in program history, 3.19, belongs to the 2002 staff.
• The Flames collected their eighth shutout of the season in game two. That puts them into a tie with five other schools for the most in the NCAA, pending Friday's results from around the country.
• Despite eight scoreless innings, in which he surrendered only three hits, Jake Dahlberg did not factor in the decision in game two. He had won in seven starts in a row dating back to March 9 vs. Chicago State.
• Dahlberg has recorded at least six strikeouts in each of his last four outings. The senior has not allowed more than five hits and two runs in any of those games.
• Georgia Tech became the first team to hold the Flames scoreless in 39 games in 2017. Prior to game, UIC had scored at least one run in every game and at least two in its previous nine losses. The Flames were also held to five hits in both games to match a season low.
• Rob Calabrese reached base safely in both games of the twinbill, extending his streak to 35 games. That is the longest on-base streak since Brandon Harwell reached safely that many times in 2009.
• Calabrese owns the team's longest active hitting streak at nine games. That matches a season high for the junior catcher.
• Alex Padilla pitched a scoreless ninth inning in game one. He owns a 0.62 ERA in 19 appearances out of the bullpen. The redshirt sophomore has not allowed an earned run since March 5 at Missouri.
• UIC owns two walk-off victories this season, and both came by a score of 1-0. The Flames defeated Youngstown State by a run in 12 innings on March 19. That was also the second game of a doubleheader.
• The second game of the doubleheader was UIC's fastest of the season, clocking in at 2:02.

Postgame Reaction




Up Next

• The series is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, April 29 at 11 a.m. CT. That is one hour earlier than previously announced. Fans are encouraged to check UICFlames.com for schedule updates.
• Fifth-year senior Jack Andersen (3-1, 3.70 ERA) is expected to toe the rubber for UIC. He'll be opposed by GT's Jake Lee (2-2, 7.09 ERA).
• The contest will stream on ESPN3 and be available on the WatchESPN app.