FAIRBORN, Ohio – Ryan Campbell toed the rubber and threw his fourth complete game of the season for UIC, but the Flames could not muster enough offense to get past Horizon League leader Wright State Friday, falling 5-1.
 
The Flames (24-15, 11-8 Horizon League) scored first, but Wright State (30-13, 17-5 Horizon League) scored five unanswered runs, including three with two outs, to secure the series-opening victory.
 
Campbell went the full 8.0 innings for the visitors, marking his second consecutive complete game. The surrendered three earned runs, struck out three and did not walk a batter for the second start in a row.
 
Derrick Patrick and Aaron Ackerman paced UIC with two hits apiece. Alex Dee drove in the lone run of the game for the visitors with a double in the top of the second inning.
 
How It Happened
UIC struck first for a run in the top of the second inning. Aaron Ackerman hit a single to right field with one away. The next batter, Alex Dee, would double deep to left-center field, allowing Ackerman to fly all the way around the bases and score to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.
 
Wright State answered right back with a pair of runs in the home half of the second. Zane Harris scored the first run for the home team on an RBI single from Chase Slone before Seth Gray scored an unearned tally on a throwing error that put the Raiders in front, 2-1.
 
It remained a one-run game in the bottom of the seventh with both starting pitchers in firm control on the mound. UIC's Ryan Campbell sent down the first two hitters he faced in the seventh before JD Orr laced a double down the line in left. Orr swiped third base and he as able to come home when Ackerman's throw to try and cut him down was errant. That gave Wright State a 3-1 lead before Campbell punched out Peyton Burdick to end the inning.
 
The Raiders picked up a few more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. With two down and a runner on second base, Slone took Campbell deep for a two-run shot that also scored Gabe Snyder and put WSU ahead by four runs.
 
Beyond the Box Score

• Ryan Campbell threw his fourth complete game of the season Friday. It was the second consecutive outing in which the senior went the distance, and also the second time this season he did so while suffering the tough-luck loss. He has more complete games in 2018 than the rest of the Horizon League combined.
• Campbell did not allow a walk for the second consecutive outing. The last base on balls issued by the Carmel, Ind., native came 20.1 innings pitched ago on April 20 at Northern Kentucky.
• As a staff, the Flames have not given up a walk in 39.1 consecutive innings against Horizon League opponents
• UIC batters did not draw a walk Friday for the first time in 39 games this season. It was the first time without a free pass since May 25, 2017, against Oakland in the Horizon League Tournament.
• The Flames fell to 18-4 when scoring the first run of the game. The team is 4-11 when scoring three runs or less.
• UIC had its first multi-error game since April 17 against Viterbo. It was the first time with multiple miscues in a loss since March 27 against Northern Illinois.

 Up Next

• Game two of the three-game series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.
• The Flames will send Charlie Cerny to the mound for his third start of the season. Cerny is the reigning Horizon League Pitcher of the Week after a complete game shutout with a career-high strikeouts and no walks last weekend against Milwaukee. He currently leads the NCAA in ERA (0.70) and WHIP (0.66).
• The Raiders will counter with Caleb Sampen. He did not pitch when Wright State visited Granderson Stadium in April, but is 2-0 with a 4.05 ERA this season.