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UIC Athletics

thevalley
Scott Ota
Steve Woltmann
4
UIC UIC 5-2
9
Winner UT Rio Grande Valley UTRGV 5-3
UIC UIC
5-2
4
Final
9
UT Rio Grande Valley UTRGV
5-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
UIC UIC 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 8 2
UT Rio Grande Valley UTRGV 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 2 X 9 9 1

W: Adams, Chase (2-0) L: Key, Jacob (0-1) S: Jackson, Ryan (2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Flames Fall in Series Finale at UTRGV

UIC’s home opener set for Tuesday at Granderson Stadium

EDINBURG, Texas – UIC scored the first four runs of the day Sunday, but UTRGV scored seven unanswered unearned runs to prevent the Flames from securing a three-game sweep with a 7-4 victory at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
 
The Flames (5-2) gave up 15 runs in the three-game set and 13 of them were unearned. UIC was the beneficiary of three unearned runs, as well, Sunday.
 
UIC finished a seven-game road trip Sunday. The Flames will open the home portion of the schedule at Granderson Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 27, when the squad hosts the Roosevelt Lakers at 4:05 p.m. CT.
 
How It Happened
UIC scored in the first inning for the second time in as many games. Derrick Patrick ignited the offense with a one-out single and he would move from first-to-third when the next hitter, Scott Ota, ripped a double to right-center field. Aaron Ackerman, batting cleanup for the first time, got the Patrick in with a sacrifice fly to center field.
 
The Flames added to the lead with three more scores in the top of the fifth inning. Left fielder Matt Bottcher reached on an error by UTRGV's first baseman and moved to second when Ryan Lin-Peistrup walked. Two batters later Patrick walked to load the bases, and with Ota at the dish, Bottcher scored on a wild pitch. UIC's right fielder then delivered a two-run single up the middle of the field with two away to bring in two more and increase the lead to advantage to four runs.
 
Trailing by four, UTRGV pushed across six unearned uns in the bottom of the sixth against UIC and starting pitcher Jacob Key to take a two-run lead it would not relinquish. The sixth-inning surge featured only two hits as a UIC error helped the home team back into the ballgame. UTRGV added another unearned tally in the seventh inning and two more on a double in the eighth to set the final margin of victory at 9-4.
 
Beyond The Box Score
  • UIC's Scott Ota went 3-for-5 Sunday and finished the three-game series hitting .571 (8-of-14) with three doubles and four RBI. On the season, the junior is batting a team-high .500 through seven games with six extra-base hits and nine RBI.
  • Ota leads UIC with five multi-hit games and four multi-RBI efforts in the team's seven games this season.
  • Thomas Norton extended his hitting streak to a team-high six games. Aaron Ackerman entered the game with a six-game streak of his own, and though he drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, was held hitless Sunday. Norton and Ackerman are both batting .400 on the season.
  • The Flames have hit at least two doubles in all seven games this season. Ota and Bowen Ogata both had two-base hits Sunday.
  •  Jacob Key struck out 11 batters in 6.0 IP Sunday, and in two starts has a team-best 20 punch outs and only four walks allowed.
  • All three of UIC's starting pitchers did not allow an earned run in the series.
Up Next
  • UIC will open Granderson Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 4:05 p.m., when the Roosevelt Lakers make the short trip over from downtown.
  • It is the earliest scheduled home opener in the Mike Dee era, which is now in its 20th season.
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