CHICAGO – Top-seeded UIC remained unbeaten in the 2017 Horizon League Championship by downing No. 2 Wright State at Granderson Stadium on Friday afternoon, 4-1.
 
Sophomore Reid Birlingmair appeared to get stronger on the mound for UIC (38-15) as the game rolled along. The Normal, Ill., scatted six hits and allowed just a single run over the span of 7.0 innings. He fanned five Raiders and worked efficiently as he secured his seventh win of the season.
 
Offensively, Cody Bohanek paced the lineup with two RBI, while Bowen Ogata tallied a team-best two hits. Ogata also drove in a run, UIC's first of the game. David Cronin drove in a run on an RBI triple, his first of the season.
 
The Flames advance to Championship Saturday without a loss in the double elimination tournament. The hosts will play No. 2 Wright State once again after it defeated No. 5 Oakland, 12-4, on Friday night.
 
How It Happened
Rob Calabrese led off the bottom of the second inning by drawing a walk after falling behind in the count, 0-2. The UIC catcher moved to second, then third base on consecutive groundouts to set the stage for Ogata. The designated hitter muscled a base hit into center field that allowed Calabrese to score the first run of the ballgame. The Flames then proceeded to load the bases after Brandon Gibis singled and Thomas Norton was hit by a pitch, but Mickey McDonald lined out sharply to right field to end the frame.
 
Wright State matched UIC with a two-out run of its own in the top of the third. Zach Weatherford reached on a fielder's choice and then swiped second base with two outs. Matt Morrow then delivered a bouncing ball up the middle that allowed Weatherford to slide in safely just ahead of McDonald's throw from center field and even the ledger at a run apiece.
 
McDonald led off the bottom of the fifth for UIC and punched a double to the right-field corner to set up his team's next scoring chance. Two batters later Cody Bohanek blasted a single back at Danny Sexton and through the box that allowed the speedy McDonald to motor around and give the Flames a 2-1 lead. Sexton limited any further damage, however, when his infield turned a tough 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
 
After Birlingmair allowed a one-out single in the top of the fourth, he settled down to retire nine Raiders in a row before Adrian Marquez doubled to right field with one away in the seventh. Following a walk, the right-handed hurler for a line drive hit out to McDonald and a fly ball on the infield to squash the threat.
 
The Flames tacked on a few more runs in the bottom of the seventh. Norton reached on an error to open the frame and he moved up to second base on a sacrifice bunt from McDonald. Cronin came up next and uncorked a triple that made its way to the wall left-center field, scoring Norton. Then UIC used a bit of small ball as head coach Mike Dee called for the squeeze and Bohanek executed it flawlessly, allowing Cronin to score on his sacrifice bunt.
 
Birlingmair turned the ball over to the bullpen after seven innings, making way for Connor Ryan. The senior surrendered a lead-off double to Weatherford after McDonald's diving attempt at a sinking line drive came up short. Ryan recovered to get the next three hitters without allowing Weatherford to advance and kept the three-run lead intact.
 
UIC got a pair of singles from Ricardo Ramirez and Ogata, but they could not add on to the lead. Ryan gave way to Alex Padilla in the bottom of the ninth. Marquez was able to collect his second two-bagger of the day with one away, but the redshirt sophomore got a ground ball to Bohanek for the second out before striking out Brandon Giltrow to end the ballgame.
 
Beyond the Box Score

• The Flames have won at least 38 games for the fourth time in program history, and the first time since 2008 (also 38). The 2002 and 2003 squads share the program record with 39 wins apiece.
• UIC lowered its staff ERA to 2.58 on the season. The Flames entered Friday ranked second in the nation in ERA behind Oregon State. The current single-season record is 3.19, held by the 2003 staff.
• The Flames improved to 25-5 at Granderson Stadium this spring.
• UIC is 31-3 when holding the opposition to three runs or fewer.
• Reid Birlingmair made his third start against Wright State since May 13. The sophomore is 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA in 20.2 IP against the Raiders this season. In two starts against WSU at home, Birlingmair has two wins and a 1.29 ERA (2 ER/14.0 IP).
• Alex Padilla lowered his ERA to 0.50 with a scoreless ninth. He has not allowed a run against an Horizon League opponent this spring, and he has surrendered just two runs in 26 appearances.
• Padilla's nine saves in 2017 are the most since David Haehnel recorded as many for the 2003 team.
• Cody Bohanek, who led UIC with two RBI Friday, is batting .667 (4-for-6) with a team-high four hits and three RBI in two games at the Horizon League Championship.
• Junior Bowen Ogata collected his 10^th multi-hit game in a UIC uniform on Friday.
• Seven of UIC's nine hitters who have a minimum of six at-bats during the conference championship have driven in at least one run.
• David Cronin hit UIC's fifth triple of the season and his first of the year. The redshirt junior has three career triples.
• Both Scott Ota and Ricardo Ramirez extended their hitting streaks to a team-high seven games Thursday. Ramirez also owns the longest active on-base streak at eight games.
• The Flames have won four of the six meetings against Wright State this season, all of which have been over a 14-day span. UIC has been victorious in all three games between the two teams at Granderson Stadium.
• UIC improved to 12-2 against left-handed starters this spring.

Postgame Reaction







Up Next

• UIC will advance to play against either No. 2 Wright State or No. 5 Oakland on Saturday, May 27 at Granderson Stadium. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
• Game nine of the tournament, if necessary, will begin at approximately 5 p.m.
• The Flames are seeking to secure their fifth NCAA regional berth in program history, and first since 2008.