ATLANTA – On a cool day at Russ Chandler Stadium the UIC bats were unable to heat up as the Flames were topped by host Georgia Tech, 5-0, in the first game of a three-game weekend series between Horizon League and ACC foes.
 
The Yellow Jackets (7-2) scored single runs in the first and third innings before getting the big blow, a three-run home run, in the bottom of the fifth. UIC (6-3) reliever Wyatt Trautwein had a strong showing to keep the home team within arm's reach, but the Flames were held scoreless for the first time in 2018.
 
Scott Ota led the offense with three more hits Friday. It was the fourth consecutive game with at least at many knocks for the junior outfielder who is batting .556 (20-of-36) through nine games in 2018 and .684 (13-of-19) over UIC's last four ballgames.
 
How It Happened

Georgia Tech opened the scoring Friday in the bottom of the first inning. The Yellow Jackets produced a run when Tristian English doubled past a diving Thomas Norton at third base, scoring Wade Bailey who had walked on a full count to begin the frame. The home had a runner on third with one out following the play, but Birlingmair got a big strikeout of Kyle McCann before getting Luke Waddell to ground out to David Becker to end the threat.
 
The Yellow Jackets doubled the advantage with another run in the bottom of the third. Once again Bailey was in the middle of the action as he doubled to begin the inning and scored when the next hitter, Chase Murray, collected two-base hit of his own to the gap in left-center field. Once again, however, Birlingmair limited the damage and struck out McCann to strand a runner on second base to get out of the inning with only one run in.
 
UIC put together its first threat in the top of the fourth inning. Ota singled for the second time in as many at bats to lead off the frame and Bowen Ogata registered a base hit of his own two batters later to give the Flames two on with one out. Ota would be stranded on third base when Xzavion Curry spun his sixth strikeout of the day to end the fourth.
 
The home team hung its first crooked number on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Carter Hall popped a three-run home run over the fence in left field that gave the Yellow Jackets a 5-0 lead against the Birlingmair and the Flames.
 
The Flames tried to threaten again in the top of the sixth, and once again Ota was the instigator. The right fielder singled for the third time Friday to begin the inning before Aaron Ackerman found a hole on the left side to put two on with nobody out. Bowen Ogata put a charge into a Curry offering and took it all the way to the wall in right, but GT's Baron Radcliff made a leaping grab at the wall to keep the runners at bay. Alex Dee went out on an infield fly before Curry got David Becker down on strikes to escape unscathed.
 
Wyatt Trautwein relieved Birlingmair and did well to keep the Yellow Jackets from adding to the lead. The senior tossed 3.1 scoreless innings and struck out three, both career highs.

Beyond The Box Score

• Scott Ota continued to be a tough out, producing at least three hits for the fourth consecutive game. He is batting .684 (13-of-19) since Feb. 24 at UTRGV, a span of four games.
• The Flames had seven hits, but did not have a double for the first time this season. UIC has garnered at least a pair of two-base hits in the first eight games of the season and the team ranked 10^th in the NCAA with 23 doubles on the season entering Friday's slate.
• UIC's Reid Birlingmair struck out seven batters Friday and he has fanned at least six in all three starts this season. The junior issued a career-high five walks, as well.
• Wyatt Trautwein made his 2018 debut out of the bullpen. The senior came on in relief in the bottom of the fifth and registered his first career strikeout to begin the outing by getting Baron Radcliff to go down swinging. The Barrington, Ill., native threw a career-high 3.1 scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts.
• UIC was shut out for the first time in 2018, and for the first time in 23 games dating back to the 2017 season. The last time the Flames came up scoreless before today was in game one of a doubleheader against Georgia Tech at Granderson Stadium on April 28, 2017 (3-0). That was the only time UIC was shutout last season. The last shutout by a team other than GT was by Youngstown State on May 8, 2016 (1-0).

Up Next

• UIC will continue the series against Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT.
• Senior Ryan Campbell will take the ball for the Flames to start the game. Campbell is 2-0 and he has yet to allow a run in 14.0 innings pitched over two starts this season. Last time out at UTRGV, the Carmel, Ind., native fanned a career-high eight hitters.