CHICAGO – UIC bounced back into action after a 10-day layoff on Thursday night and won the first game of a three-game series against Youngstown State at Granderson Stadium, topping the Penguins 6-2 at Granderson Stadium.
 
The win, coupled with Oakland's win at Milwaukee, helped the Flames (26-16, 13-9 Horizon League) secure the second seed in next week's Horizon League Championship. Wright State earned the top seed and will host the tournament next weekend.
 
Four different Flames drove in runs Thursday with Dominic Smith's three-run home run delivering the biggest blow. Ryan Campbell picked up his seventh win with 6.0 innings of two-hit baseball. He allowed one earned run and struck out five for UIC.
 
How It Happened
The Flames sent eight batters to the plate and scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ryan Lin-Peistrup came up with the bases loaded and flipped a base hit into shallow right field that scored Aaron Ackerman. With two down, Alex Dee, who had reached on an error, scored when Matt Bottcher drew a bases-loaded walk.
 
UIC extended the advantage with a nice two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth. Derrick Patrick doubled down the line in right with two down before Bottcher picked up another base on balls. On the fifth pitch of a good at-bat Dominic Smith tomahawked his fourth home run of the season deep over the bullpens in left field to give the Flames a 5-0 lead.
 
The home team plated another run in the bottom of the fifth. Bowen Ogata walked on four pitches to begin the frame and he eventually scored the sixth run for UIC on a deep sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of Thomas Norton.
 
The Penguins plated their first run of the evening with outs in the top of the sixth. Web Charles had singled to start the inning and he came in from third on a throwing error to extend the frame and cut the deficit to five runs. In the seventh, YSU drew four consecutive walks with two down to force in a run and make it 6-2. Braden Toikka came out of the bullpen and struck out Lucas Nasonti looking for the final out, leaving the sacks packed with Penguins.
 
Toikka would add two more strikeouts in the eighth as he retired the side in order. He gave way to Alex Padilla in the top of the ninth and the stopper also worked a perfect inning that was aided by a dazzling diving catch from Patrick in left-center field.

Postgame Reaction





Beyond the Box Score

• Youngstown State had only two hits Thursday, matching a season low for any UIC opponent. Milwaukee was limited to two hits in a 2-0 shutout win for the Flames on April 29.
• With his fourth home run of the season, Dominic Smith moved into a team-leading tie in that category with Scott Ota and Aaron Ackerman. It was Smith's first long ball since April 20 at Northern Kentucky.
• Smith and Ryan Lin-Peistrup had two hits apiece for UIC. It was the eighth multi-hit game of the season for Smith and the fourth for Lin-Peistrup, who are both in their first seasons with the Flames.
• Ryan Campbell turned in his 10^th quality effort in 12 starts this season. The senior has allowed not allowed an earned run in six of outings.
• The senior struck out at least five for the eighth time in 2018.
• Braeden Toikka struck out three of the four Penguins he faced Thursday.
• The Flames have finished first or second in their conference 16 times in 20 seasons since Mike Dee took over 1999.
• YSU's Blaze Glenn had reached base safely in 46 consecutive games before arriving in Chicago in what was believed to be the nation's longest active streak. The right fielder went 0-for-4 Thursday with a pair of strikeouts to snap the skid.
• Alex Bellardini, who had won the last two Horizon League Pitcher of the Week Awards for the Penguins, was chased after 3.0 IP. He allowed two earned runs and walked three.
• The Penguins were charged with three errors in the series opener. In the last two games against the Flames, YSU has committed eight defensive miscues.

Up Next

• UIC and Youngstown State will reconvene at Granderson Stadium on Friday, May 18 at 6:35 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Jonathan Hood on the call.
• Junior Charlie Cerny is slated to start for the Flames. He will likely be opposed by YSU's Kip DeShields.