CHICAGO – UIC pounded out a season-high 20 hits Sunday afternoon and plated a season-high 14 runs to knock off the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, 14-7, and win the fourth Horizon League series in as many tries.

The Flames secured their 20^th victory of the season, and 10 in Horizon League play. Overall, UIC has been victorious in 16 of its last 18 contests. UIC has won 20 of its first 28 games for the first time since the 2002 season.

All nine players in UIC's starting lineup collected at least one hit Sunday, with seven notching two or more. Four Flames tallied three hits apiece, while Cody Bohanek and Rob Calabrese each drove in three runs in the victory.

Jack Andersen scattered three runs over five innings and struck out four to collect his second win of the season.

How It Happened
Ramirez threw out OU's Tyler Janish at the plate to end the first inning and with one out in the top of the second, he got the offense ignited. Ramirez turned on a Conor Bowers offering and hit a laser off the left-field foul pole to give UIC a 1-0 lead.
 
Oakland evened the score in the bottom of the second with a solo home run off the bat of Matt Dileo. With one out, the Golden Grizzlies catcher deposited a pitch in the visiting bullpen before Andersen got a pair of ground balls to end the frame.
 
The Flames jumped all over Bowers in the top of the third, pouring on five runs on six hits. Mickey McDonald started the party with a double into no-man's land between the shortstop and left fielder and he scored on Bohanek's single to right-center field. Bohanek was erased trying to stretch his hit into a double before Thomas popped his second home run of the season down the line in left to give UIC a 3-1 lead. David Cronin was hit by a pitch and he scampered to third on Scott Ota's rocket to center. Cronin scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Calabrese and Ota later scored all the way from first base when Ramirez picked up his second extra-base hit in as many at-bats, a double to left field. The first baseman then scored on Bowen Ogata's well-struck single to left field for the fifth and final run of the inning, one that gave the Flames a 6-1 lead.
 
Oakland got a pair of runs right back with a two-run home run off the bat of Janish with one out in the bottom of the third before Andersen struck out Zach Sterry for the second time in as many at-bats. Calabrese, who threw out Jordan Jackson trying to swipe second for the first out of the inning, also gunned down Tyler Pagano for the third and final out to maintain UIC's three-run lead.
 
The Flames exploded for five more runs in the top of the fifth inning against Oakland reliever T.J. Shook. Calabrese, Ogata, McDonald and Bohanek all drove in runs. Brandon Gibis scored on a delayed double steal when Oakland tried unsuccessfully to cut down McDonald as he stole second base.
 
Andersen allowed three runs over fine innings and gave way to Connor Ryan in the bottom of the sixth. Tyler Pagano hit his second home run in as many games with one out, but that was the only tally Oakland scratched out as Ryan struck out Tyler Demmumbrum with the bat on his shoulder to end the sixth and preserve an 11-4 lead for the Flames.
 
The Golden Grizzlies made a little more noise in the bottom of the seventh inning. Mike McGee started the inning with a single before Janish singled with two outs. Sterry then hit his second home run of the series, a three-run shot to center field that cut the deficit to four runs.
 
UIC got two of the three runs right back in the top of the eighth. Norton was hit with a pitch to begin the inning and he made it to third base when Cronin singled through the right side. Norton scored on a balk and Cronin scored from second base when Calabrese rifled a two-bagger down the left-field line.
 
After Alex Padilla held Oakland off the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth, the Flames tacked on one more run in the top of the ninth. McDonald hustled his way to another double to lead off the final frame and he scored with ease when Bohanek ripped a double of his own down the line, making it 14-7. Padilla worked a 1-2-3 ninth to finish off the ballgame.
 
Beyond the Box Score

• UIC has won 20 of its first 28 games for the first time since the 2002 season. That squad finished with 34 wins and served as a springboard to the program's first NCAA Regional appearance in 2003.
• The Flames have won 16 of their last 18 games dating back to March 7.
• UIC has won 10 of its first 12 Horizon League games, all of which were played at Granderson Stadium.
• The Flames won their fourth consecutive conference series.
• David Cronin and Rob Calabrese each extended their streaks of reaching base safely to 23 games. Cronin extended his hitting streak to a team-high 12 games with his single in the fifth inning. He finished the game with two hits and now leads UIC with 14 multi-hit games.
• Calabrese drove in three runs for the second time second time this season. The catcher and first baseman Ricardo Ramirez are tied for the team lead with seven multi-RBI efforts this season.
• Ramirez hit his career-high seventh home run in the second inning. The Chicago, Ill., native owns 13 career home runs.

Postgame Reaction



Up Next

• The Flames will play outside of Granderson Stadium for the first time since March 21 on Tuesday, April 11, when they visit the Northern Illinois Huskies in DeKalb, Ill.
• UIC knocked off the Huskies, 6-1, in the first meeting between the two teams on March 28. Rob Calabrese drove in two runs, while Cody Bohanek and Thomas Norton each scored twice as the Flames won for the 14^th time this season.
• Jacob Key fired 6.0 scoreless innings while scattering four hits and walking only one in the first meeting. He is expected to get the nod again this week.