CHICAGO - There was no stopping the offensive attack of UIC Wednesday evening at Granderson Stadium as it took down Northern Illinois, 18-3, with ease for its fifth straight win. It marked the largest margin of victory for the Flames since defeating Youngstown State, 23-2, last season.

It was also the second straight time the Flames scored at least 17 runs against the Huskies and allowed only three.UIC rattled off a slew of season highs Wednesday, which included 18 runs, 22 hits, five doubles, four home runs and 18 RBI. Joshua Figueroa and Ryan Lin-Peistrup each had a career-high four hits while it was Alex Dee who posted a top mark of seven RBI off two home runs, featuring a grand slam.

Newcomer Braeden Toikka earned his first win of the season after dealing four complete innings with five strikeouts, two walks and just two hits allowed.

How It Happened
The Huskies led by a run after a half inning, but the advantage was short-lived. Aaron Ackerman doubled with one away in the bottom of the first and two batters later Figueroa clubbed a single up the middle to even the ledger. With Scott Ota also aboard, Dee stepped to the dish and launched his first long ball of the day, a three-run shot to left field. Thomas Smart followed with a walk and two batters later he scored on a base hit from former high school teammate Lin-Peistrup.

Following a scoreless second, the Flames went to work once again in the bottom of the third and the home team pushed across four more runs to snag a 9-1 lead. The inning featured three RBI doubles courtesy of Dominic Smith, Ackerman and Figueroa, plus a sacrifice fly from Thomas Norton.

UIC's most destructive inning was the fourth. Smart started things off with a single and he scored two batters later when Lin-Peistrup found a hole through the right side for a base hit. Smith followed with his first home run in a UIC uniform, a two-run blast to left. Norton then walked, Riley Hebert delivered a pinch-hit double and Ota walked to load the bases. Figueroa flied out, but with two away Dee crushed an opposite-field grand slam down the line in right field. Three batters later it was deja vu as Lin-Peistrup singled again, this time to left field, to score Smart easily from third base. The explosive frame put the Flames comfortably in front, 17-1.

Northern Illinois scratched out a pair of runs in the top of the fifth before UIC later got one back in the bottom of the sixth. Figueroa was the first to face George Faue and he greeted the reliever with a home run to left field, the fourth of the day for the home team. That would finish the scoring as the Flames would win, 18-3.

Fast Fact

• UIC has won three consecutive games against Northern Illinois, outscoring the Huskies 41-7 in those games. The Flames will host NIU again at Granderson Stadium on March 27 and travel to DeKalb on April 10.

Up Next
UIC begins Horizon League play on Friday, March 16, when the Northern Kentucky Norse come to Granderson Stadium to begin a three-game series. The reigning Horizon League Pitcher of the Week, Ryan Campbell, is scheduled to start the opener for the Flames.