CHICAGO – With two down in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth inning, UIC redshirt freshman Joshua Figueroa delivered a base hit that scored Thomas Norton and propelled the Flames to their first Horizon League victory of the season Saturday, 4-3.
 
UIC (12-4, 1-0 Horizon League) had been held to only two hits through six innings before breaking through in the final third of the ballgame. The Flames scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to knot the score at three runs apiece before Figueroa picked up the first walk-off RBI of his career in the ninth.
 
NKU (3-13, 0-1 Horizon League) received a spectacular start from Cameron Ross, though all three seventh-inning runs were charged to the right-hander.  Andrew Bacon scored two of three runs for the Norse.
 
How It Happened
UIC's Ryan Campbell retired the first seven batters he faced Saturday before hitting Bacon with a pitch with one away in the top of the third. He eventually scored the first run of the afternoon on an RBI single from Chad Roberts. NKU could have added on, but Scott Ota fired a perfect throw to Thomas Norton at third base to cut down Jake Richmond trying to take an extra base, ending the threat.
 
Campbell faced trouble in the fourth with runners at second and third and nobody out, but he escaped unharmed, that inning at least. NKU added another run in the fifth inning as Bacn came around to score after leading off with a base hit. Later, Richmond singled with one out in the top of the seventh, stole second base and scored when Mike Moffatt found a seam through the left side for an RBI single.
 
The Flames, which had two singles from Dominic Smith through six innings, finally began to solve Ross in the seventh. Alex Dee was hit by a pitch ahead of a solid base knock from Thomas Smart. Ross fanned David Becker, but then Ryan Lin-Peistrup hit a shot that one-hopped the wall in left field to bring home Dee for UIC's first run. After Kyle Service came on in relief and walked Smith, Norton delivered a clutch single into left field that plated two runs to tie the game at three.
 
The Norse put a runner on in the eighth inning, and another in the ninth, against Charlie Cerny, but they were unable to score, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.
 
Norton singled sharply into to right field with one down in the bottom of the ninth. Aaron Ackerman followed with a base hit of his own the other way to left, putting two on.  NKU brought in Jordan Menfee from the bullpen and he got Ota to fly out to Richmond in center field for the second out. Figueroa, hitless to that point on the day, stepped to the dish. Menfee uncorked a wild pitch that advanced Norton and Ackerman before UIC's designated hitter roped a base hit to left field to win the game for the home team, 4-3.

Postgame Reaction

 

Beyond The Box Score

• UIC extended its winning streak to a season-high six games. The Flames also remained unbeaten at Granderson Stadium this season at 6-0.
• After being held to two hits through six innings, the Flames produced eight in the final 2.2. The Norse had only two of their eight hits after the sixth inning and zero after the seventh.
• Charlie Cerny notched his second victory in relief. He has made five consecutive scoreless appearances out of the bullpen and a team-high 10 outings overall on the year.
• Thomas Norton had his third multi-RBI effort of the season Saturday.

Up Next

• UIC and Northern Kentucky will conclude the series with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 18. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. CT.