NILES, Ohio – UIC dropped both ends of a doubleheader Saturday, falling twice at Eastwood Field to the Youngstown State Penguins in Horizon League play. YSU claimed the opener, 7-2, before getting out to a six-run lead and hanging on to win 6-5 in the night cap.
 
The Flames (15-10, 4-5 Horizon League) lost their conference series of the season, while Youngstown State (8-17, 6-3 Horizon League) won its second straight set.
 
How It Happened – Game 1
Youngstown State scored first Saturday, with a run in the bottom of the first before UIC countered to take a brief lead. The Penguins had trouble fielding the baseball in the top of the second and the Flames took advantage to score their first run. Both Bowen Ogata and Dylan Gilbert reached on errors, sandwiched around a double from Thomas Norton. Ogata came in to score when reached safely on a miscue from YSU's third baseman.
 
The visitors took their first lead of the series in the top of the third. David Becker reached on another error from the Penguins and he would score all the way from first base on a deep double to right-center field off the bat of Joshua Figueroa. That extra-base hit gave UIC a 2-1 advantage.
 
The lead did not last long, however, as Youngstown State scored twice in three consecutive frames between the third and fifth innings.
 
Trailing by five, the Flames tried to put together a threat in the top of the eighth. Ogata doubled with one away and was on third base with two down, but UIC stranded runners at the corners when the inning ended with a strikeout.
 
How It Happened – Game 2
The Penguins got out to a fast start, scoring four times in the first inning against UIC and starting pitcher Braeden Toikka. The home team added two more tallies in the to take a 6-0 lead in the series finale.
 
UIC's offense kicked into gear in the top of the third. David Becker was hit by a pitch with one away and two batters later Scott Ota cranked a home run to right-center field that pulled the Flames to within four.
 
In the top of the fifth frame, UIC continued to chip away. Norton singled with one away before Ota walked. Ogata then singled to center and an error allowed Norton to come around to score and pull the Flames within three.
 
As the UIC bullpen continued to hold YSU in check, the Flames pushed across another run in the top of the eighth. Alex Dee led off the frame with a triple and Riley Hebert drove him in on an RBI groundout to the right side. Two more UIC batters in the inning, however it could not scratch out another run at the time.
Trailing by a pair in the top of the ninth, the Flames refused to go quietly in the final frame. Ogata and Dominic Smith walked to open the stanza before pinch hitter Matt Bottcher put down a sacrifice bunt to push the pair into scoring position. Dee was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Hebert drew a bases-loaded walk to force a run home and pull UIC within one at 6-5. After a pitching change, Colin Clark got a game-ending double play to help his team complete the sweep.
 
Up Next

• UIC will finish its four-game road swing on Tuesday, April 3 at Northwestern.
• First pitch is schedule for 3 p.m. CT from Rocky and Berenice Miller Park in Evanston, Ill.