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UIC Athletics

thevalley
2017 Horizon League Champions
Steve Woltmann
2
Wright State WSU 38-21
4
Winner UIC UIC 39-15
Wright State WSU
38-21
2
Final
4
UIC UIC
39-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Wright State WSU 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 6 1
UIC UIC 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 X 4 6 0

W: Andersen, Jack (5-2) L: RANDOLPH, Jeremy (4-2) S: Padilla, Alex (10)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Ticket Punched! UIC Wins HL Championship, NCAA Regional Bid

Flames advance to NCAA Tournament for first time since 2008

CHICAGO - The UIC Flames were crowned the 2017 Horizon League Tournament champions for the fifth time in program history Saturday as it took out Wright State, 4-2, at Granderson Stadium in an emotional title game. The victory marked the 39th of the season for the Flames, matching the program record previously achieved in both 2002 and 2003.

Facing a 1-0 deficit, UIC (39-15) used a three-tun fifth inning, powered by a two-run triple from David Cronin, to move out on top of the Raiders (38-21) and maintain the lead the remainder of the game, adding an important insurance run with two outs in the sixth.

The Flames have earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament as they advance to regionals for the first time since 2008. UIC will find out its first-round destination on Monday afternoon during the selection show at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2.

How It Happened
UIC was forced to play from behind after it fell behind by a run in the top of the first inning. Starter Jack Andersen got a pair of quick ground-ball outs before WSU's Matt Morrow took him deep to the opposite field and the ball landed in the Flames bullpen to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead.
 
Following Morrow's home run, Andersen regrouped and seven consecutive hitters before Zach Weatherford singled up the middle to lead off the top of the fourth. Morrow followed with a seeing-eye single through the left side to give Wright State two runners aboard with nobody. Andersen spun off another grounder to Cody Bohanek at shortstop and the All-Horizon League player started a 4-6-3 double play. The next hitter, Seth Gray, hit a ball that appeared destined for center field, but Cronin ranged to his right to track it down and fire on to first just in time to end the inning.
 
UIC looked to capitalize in the bottom of the frame when Rob Calabrese laced a double down the left-field line. Scott Ota walked, but WSU's Jeremy Randolph got out of trouble with a fly ball to left field and an inning-ending double play.
 
The Flames finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Brandon Gibis reached on an error and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Thomas Norton. Mickey McDonald walked before Cronin was ahead in the count 3-0 against Randolph. Ball three would be the last pitch that Randolph would throw as he left the game with an apparent injury. After WSU's Derek Hendrixson was allowed ample time to loosen up, Cronin stepped back into the box and uncorked his second triple of the tournament, one that scored Gibis and McDonald to give UIC a 2-1 lead.
 
After Cody Bohanek drew a free pass, Calabrese hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Cronin to score, increasing the lead to a pair of runs at 3-1.
 
The Raiders got one of the runs right back in the top of the sixth. JD Orr drew a lead-off walk and he eventually scored from second base with two outs when Gabe Snyder poked a single through the box.
 
Hanging on to a one-run lead, the Flames tacked on another insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ricardo Ramirez picked up his second hit of the day, a single to center field, and he moved to second on a sacrifice from Bowen Ogata. Then with two outs, Norton delivered a base hit to shallow right-center field that allowed Ramirez to score and increase the home team's advantage to 4-2.
 
Andersen turned the ball over to the bullpen in the seventh inning. Charlie Cerny fanned the first two Raiders he faced before serving up a two-out single to Kevin Whatley. The sophomore came right back and punched out Brandon Giltrow looking to end the inning.
 
In the eighth inning, it was Connor Ryan's turn to tackle the Raiders in relief. The senior worked a 1-2-3 inning against the top of WSU's lineup, striking out Morrow with the bat on his shoulder to end that frame.

Ogata hit a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth, but the Flames could not add to their two-run lead. That meant it was time for the Horizon League Relief Pitcher of the Year, Alex Padilla, to toe the rubber in the top of the ninth. Snyder grounded out to Ramirez at first for out number one before the redshirt sophomore got Gray swinging on strikes for the second. WSU's Cory Heffron worked a five-pitch at-bat, but the fifth pitch was sent into the outfield, where McDonald squeezed it and a celebration nine years in the making ensued.
 
Beyond the Box Score
  • The Flames have won at least 39 games for the third time in program history. The 2002 and 2003 squads share the program record with this year's group with 39 wins apiece.
  • David Cronin was named the Most Valuable Player of the Horizon League Championship. The redshirt junior had two triples and drove in three runs in three UIC victories.
  • Cronin was joined on the All-Tournament Team by fellow Flames Reid Birlingmair, Cody Bohanek, Jake Dahlberg and Mickey McDonald.
  • Bohanek batted .500 (4-for-8) during the week with three RBI. McDonald doubled twice and scored three times for UIC. On the mound, Dahlberg and Birlingmair combined to allow one run in 14.0 innings in victories over Oakland and Wright State, respectively.
  • Alex Padilla lowered his ERA to 0.49 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 27 total appearances. He has not allowed a run since March 5 at Missouri.
  • Padilla's 10 saves in 2017 are the most since Ryan Hinchley recorded as many for the 2015 team.
  • UIC lowered its staff ERA to 2.57 on the season. The Flames entered Saturday 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, who boasted the top fielding-percentage defense in the NCAA entering Saturday's game, did not commit a defensive miscue in three Horizon League Championship games.
  • As team, UIC batted .303 in the tournament, while holding the opposition to a mark of .187. The pitching staff allowed three runs for the week.
  • The Flames improved to 26-5 at Granderson Stadium this spring.
  • UIC is 32-3 this season when holding the opposition to three runs or fewer.
Postgame Reaction







Celebration Sights and Sounds Up Next
  • UIC will learn its next destination on Monday, May 29 at 11 a.m. CT. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show will air on ESPN2.
  • The tournament's 16 regional sites will be revealed between 7:30-8 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 28. Those announcements will be made on social media via Twitter (@NCAACWS) and Facebook.
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