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UIC Athletics

thevalley
Joseph Craven/WSU
3
UIC UIC 0-1
6
Winner Georgia Tech GT 1-0
UIC UIC
0-1
3
Final
6
Georgia Tech GT
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
UIC UIC 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 3 6 2
Georgia Tech GT 0 0 4 1 0 0 1 0 X 6 10 1

W: Curry, X (1-0) L: Key, Jacob (0-1) S: English, T (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Flames Stung by Georgia Tech in Opener, 6-3

Thomas Smart hits two-run home run and scores twice for UIC

ATLANTA – UIC fell behind in the third inning Friday afternoon and the Flames were unable to completely recover as they dropped the first game of the 2019 season and the ATL Challenge against Georgia Tech at Russ Chandler Stadium, 6-3.

The Yellow Jackets (1-0) scored the first five runs of the game before Thomas Smart put UIC (0-1) on the board with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning. Down by four, the Flames added another run in the top of the eighth when Smart scored on a sacrifice fly from Alex Dee, but UIC would be unable to get any closer.

How It Happened
  • Georgia Tech hammered out four runs in the bottom of the third inning on the strength of three home runs. Kyle McCann uncorked a solo blast to center field before Chase Murray hit a two-run blast to the opposite field in left. Finally, Oscar Serratos sprayed one the other way and over the wall in right field to make it 4-0 in favor of the Yellow Jackets.
  • The home team tacked on another tally in bottom of the fourth inning. Luke Waddell doubled, stole third base and scored on a fielder's choice back to the mound. Key stranded McCann on third base by getting Murray to strike out looking to end the threat.
  • Scott Ota snuck a single through the right side that snapped a streak of nine consecutive Flames retired by GT starting pitcher Xzavion Curry to kick off the top of the sixth inning. Thomas Smart followed and he muscled a two-run home run of his own to right-center field to cut the UIC deficit down to three runs. After Matt Bottcher singled to chase Curry from the ballgame, reliever Brad Hurter came in and notched three strikeouts to squash the threat.
  • The Yellow Jackets added to their lead again in the bottom of the seventh inning when Murray scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Austin Wilhite, but McCabe got a fly ball to Ota in right to leave two runners aboard to limit the damage.
  • The Flames got something cooking in the top of the eighth. Smart was hit by a pitch with one away and he went from first-to-third when Bottcher poked a single through the right side and into the outfield. Alex Dee brought Smart home with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Notable
  • Thomas Smart has homered in two consecutive games. He also went deep in the final game of the 2018 Horizon League Championship at Wright State on May 26, 2018. That was also a two-run blast. Smart made his first career start at third base at Georgia Tech.
  • Redshirt freshman Tom Farrell hustled his way to an infield single in his first career at-bat to open the top of the second inning. Chris Papapietro, a junior transfer from College of San Mateo, followed Farrell and laced a base hit up the middle in his first plate appearance.
  • Matt Bottcher led the offense with two hits. He produced 10 multi-hit games as a sophomore in 2018.
  • Left-handed pitcher Mark McCabe was the first true freshman to see action in 2019. The Lisle, Ill., native was the first hurler used out of the bullpen Friday. He finished the nonconference contest by throwing the final 3.1 innings and allowing two hits without surrendering an earned run.
On Deck
  • UIC will play a split doubleheader on Saturday to wrap up the Atlanta Challenge.
  • The Flames will visit Kennesaw State for the first-ever meeting between the two programs at noon ET/11 a.m. CT.
  • The nightcap will send UIC to Georgia State for a game at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT.
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