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UIC Athletics

thevalley
Scott Ota
Steve Woltmann
5
UIC UIC 0-3
9
Winner Georgia State GSU 1-2
UIC UIC
0-3
5
Final
9
Georgia State GSU
1-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
UIC UIC 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 4
Georgia State GSU 1 1 0 1 0 2 3 1 X 9 11 2

W: Clark, Seth (1-0) L: Menegat, Sam (0-1) S: Watson, Ryan (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Early Offense Fails to Carry Flames

UIC scored five first-inning runs, but could not add on Saturday night

ATLANTA – UIC's offense exploded for five runs in the top of the first inning Saturday night, but the Flames allowed Georgia State to score nine unanswered runs to finish the ATL Challenge with a 9-5 loss at the hands of the Panthers.

UIC (0-3) was hampered by a season-high four errors Saturday night, leading to four unearned runs for Georgia State (1-2). One of the miscues came early in the bottom of the seventh inning and three unearned runs followed to help the Panthers surge ahead, 8-5.

Scott Ota had two hits to lead UIC (0-3), including a leadoff home run to open the ballgame. Chris Papapietro drove in two runs with an RBI double in his first at-bat of the game.

How It Happened
  • Scott Ota opened the scoring by going deep and out to right-center field to start the contest, UIC's second of the day. Thomas Smart followed with a single ahead of Matt Bottcher, who reached on an error. With two outs, Chris Papapietro rifled a two-run double down the line in left. Ryan Lin-Peistrup followed with his own two-bagger to trade places with Papapietro, and he would score when Dominic Smith reached on a second GSU error of the inning.
  • Georgia State would get one run in the first inning and a second in the second to begin to claw back against the Flames and starting pitcher Joey Fredrickson. The home team scored again in the fourth inning, this time an unearned tally with two outs.
  • The Panthers tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. A two-run single off the bat of senior Jake Corso with two away tied the game at 5-5.
  • Georgia surged in front for good in the bottom of the seventh. UIC dropped a foul ball that was ruled an error to open the frame. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases before Alex Padilla induced a ground ball that resulted in a 6-4-3 double play, but it was enough to get the go-ahead run home.
Notable
  • UIC's offense produced a season-high five runs at Georgia State.
  • The Flames struggled to swing the sticks at the ATL Challenge. UIC batted .153 in three games on Friday and Saturday with only four extra-base hits. The Flames walked only five times, while the opposition batted .343 with 12 extra-base hits and 14 walks.
  • Matt Bottcher, Scott Ota and Thomas Smart each produced three hits over the weekend. Smart (at Georgia Tech) and Ota (at Georgia State) both homered.
  • UIC did not steal a base over the first three games of the season, while the opposition was 5-of-6 in that category against the Flames.
Earlier Saturday, UIC lost at Kennesaw State, 9-2. Click here for a full recap of that game.

On Deck
  • UIC will travel to College Station, Texas, next weekend for a three-game set at Texas A&M. The first game is set for Friday, Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. CT.
  • It will be the first time the Flames face the Aggies since the first weekend of the 2013 season (Feb. 15-17).
  • UIC played in the NCAA College Station Regional in 2008.
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