CHICAGO – UIC fell behind early on Saturday and the Flames were unable to climb all the way back as they dropped the middle game of a three-game series at Granderson Stadium, 6-3.
 
Oakland (4-24, 2-6 Horizon League) scored four times in the first inning and twice more in the third to grab a lead it would not relinquish. Matt Dileo and Tyler Pagano hit home runs for the Golden Grizzlies.
 
Following the rocky start, UIC (19-8, 9-2 Horizon League) received 5.2 scoreless innings from a combination of six relief pitchers led by 2.2 frames from Austin Smith.
 
David Cronin homered for the Flames Saturday, while Ricardo Ramirez and Brandon Gibis also drove in runs for the UIC, which was designated as the visiting team because the series was originally slated to be held at Oakland Baseball Field in Michigan.
 
How It Happened
Oakland scored four times in the bottom of the first inning to start the scoring Saturday. Zach Sterry drove in the game's first run with an RBI single before Matt Dileo hit a three-run home run to left field.
 
The second time through the order against UIC's Reid Birlingmair, the Golden Grizzlies added two more tallies. Sterry walked to lead off the inning and he was able to trot home when the next batter, left fielder Tyler Pagano sent a two-run homer out to left field that gave OU a 6-0 advantage.
 
Smith spelled Birlingmair out of the bullpen and after allowing the first two hitters he faced to reach, struck out Mike McGee and Jordan Jackson to keep Oakland at bay.
 
UIC got on the scoreboard for the first time in the top of the fourth against Jake Lee. Scott Ota hit a double to left field that carried over Pagano's head before Rob Calabrese notched his own two-bagger. Ota was held up at third base, but he soon scored on Ramirez's RBI groundout to second base.
 
Smith kept the Golden Grizzlies off the board through the fifth inning and his offense continued to chip away in the top of the sixth. Cronin led off the frame with a solo home run to the opposite field in left before Ota singled sharply to center field. Calabrese hit a rocket back through the box to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Three batters later, Gibis turned on a pitch and rifled down the third-base line. OU's Tyler Janish made a diving stop, but Gibis busted out of the box and beat the throw, allowing Ota to score making it 6-3 in favor of the visiting home team.
 
Connor Ryan, who made his first appearance since Feb. 26, Charile Cerny and Mitchell Schulewitz each backed up Smith with scoreless efforts, setting the stage for a ninth-inning comeback.
 
Facing OU's Nick Parr, Gibis was hit by a pitch to start the inning before Mickey McDonald singled to right field. Two batters later Thomas Norton walked on four pitches to load the bases with one out. Cronin stepped in, but he hit the ball back at Parr and the reliever began an game-ending 1-2-3 double play.
 
Beyond the Box Score

• Despite Saturday's outcome, the Flames have won 15 of their last 17 games dating back to March 7.
• UIC swept the three-game season series with the Wildcats. The Flames have won six games in a row against their crosstown rivals from the Big Ten dating back to the beginning of the 2016 season.
• David Cronin and Rob Calabrese each extended their streaks of reaching base safely to 22 games. Both players had two hits and Cronin leads the Flames with 13 multi-hit games this season. He's also batting a team-high .390.
• Cronin hit his career-high fourth home run of the season. He notched three a year ago.
• Connor Ryan appeared for UIC for the first time since picking up a save at No. 7 Vanderbilt on Feb. 26. He has been rehabilitating an injury since that time.

Postgame Reaction


 
Up Next

• The Flames and Golden Grizzlies will meet for the series finale on Sunday, April 8 at 12:05 p.m. CT.
• Fifth-senior Jack Andersen will toe the rubber for the Flames in search of his second win in Horizon League play. Oakland has not yet announced a Sunday starter.
• A live audio stream of the game will be available exclusively on UICFlames.com.