CHICAGO  – In a well-pitched and low-scoring affair between a pair of local rivals, Northwestern invaded UIC's Granderson Stadium Tuesday evening and topped the Flames, 1-0.
 
The Wildcats (10-24) scored the game's lone run, an unearned tally in the top of the fifth inning. The Flames (20-14) had plenty of opportunities at the start of the six-game homestand, but they stranded a season-high 14 runners on base in the loss.
 
UIC had the bases loaded with two down in the bottom of the ninth, but NU's shortstop Jack Dunn made a charging play on a slow chopper and fielded on the run and threw across just in time to nail the runner.
 
How It Happened
Northwestern broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fifth inning. Ben Dickey reached on an error before stealing both second and third base. He came in to score with was on Jack Dunn's blooper to center field. A double steal had two runners in scoring position, but UIC's Braden Toikka got Willie Bourbon to look at strike three to end the inning and limit the damage.
 
Toikka held the Wildcats in check over the next two innings and Reid Birlingmair, who made his first appearance since March 23, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, Alex Dee tripled to the corner in right field, but he could not score when Aaron Ackerman flew out deep to right field.
 
The Flames tried to mount another rally in the bottom of the ninth. Derrick Patrick singled with one away, but he was erased from the basepaths on a fielder's choice. With two away, Scott Ota delivered a rocket up the middle that saw Matt Bottcher go from first to third to put the tying run 90 feet from home. Bowen Ogata walked on four pitches to pack the sacks for Dominic Smith. On a 2-1 pitch, Smith rifled a missile that landed foul down the right-field line. He chopped the next pitch toward Dunn at shortstop and busted out of the box, but the throw beat him by a half-step and the game was over.
 
Beyond the Box Score

• UIC stranded a season-high 14 runners on base, including at least two in four of the nine frames.
• The Flames are 3-9 this season when scoring three runs or fewer. UIC had scored 11 runs or more in its last four games entering Tuesday's meeting with Northwestern.
• UIC was shutout for the second time this season and the first time at Granderson Stadium. The team moved to 11-6 on its home field.
• The Wildcats snapped a six-game losing streak against the Flames.
• Junior Reid Birlingmair returned to the mound for the first time since March 23. He pitched the eighth inning in relief, his first stint out of the bullpen since May 26, 2016 at Wright State. He stuck out two in his return Tuesday.
• Wyatt Trautwein was the tough-luck loser Tuesday. The run he gave up was unearned however and he lowered his ERA on theh season to 0.72.
• Scott Ota's hustle double in the bottom of the fifth extended his hitting streak to a team-high seven games. The right fielder has reached safely in 17 straight contests.
• The top three hitters in UIC's lineup – Derrick Patrick, Matt Bottcher and Ota – combined for six hits and reached base seven times Tuesday.

Up Next

• UIC will host Milwaukee in a three-game Horizon League series beginning on Friday, April 27 at 6:35 p.m.
• The Panthers are the only Horizon League team that the Flames have yet to face this season. The first scheduled series between the two teams (April 13-15) was cancelled by inclement weather.
• UWM is a game in front of UIC and in sole possession of second place in the Horizon League entering the set.