COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- For the second time in as many days the UIC offense struggled to click and the Flames were shutout for the first time this season as they suffered a 4-0 setback against Texas A&M.

UIC (0-5) picked up only four hits against the TAMU (7-0) pitching staff for the second day in a row. Shortstop Matt Botthcer had two of the knocks for the Flames.

How It Happened

• UIC threatened the Aggies and starting pitcher Asa Lacy right away at Blue Bell Park Saturday. Bottcher ripped a one-out single through the left side before Thomas Smart was hit by a pitch. Joshua Figueroa walked to load the bases, but a fielder's choice failed to get a run home and a strikeout on a full-count pitch ended the threat.
• Making his first start for the Flames, graduate student Patrick Martin avoided any trouble through the first four innings Saturday. With two down in the bottom of the fifth the Aggies mounted a rally that produced the game's first run. Back-to-back hits - a single and a triple - put Texas A&M in front 1-0, but Martin got a fly ball to Dominic Smith in left field that ended the inning.
• Martin turned it over to the bullpen in the sixth inning and the Aggies notched two more tallies. A walk, hit batsman and bunt single loaded the bases before a sacrifice fly expanded the lead to two runs. Then a single through the left side made it 3-0 before Braeden Toikka got two fly balls to Scott Ota in right field that ended the inning.
• The Flames tried to get something going when Smith kicked off the top of the seventh with a double. Later Sean Dee singled on the infield to put a pair of runners aboard, but they would be stranded when Ota flew out to center field and Bottcher popped out to end the threat.
• The Aggies added one more insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Braeden Shwemake tripled for the second time in the game and he came in to score two batters later when a teammate reached on a UIC error.

Notable

• Thomas Smart has reached safely in all five games this season, however Saturday was the first time he was held hitless.
• Matt Bottcher had his second multi-hit game of the young season. The Romeoville, Ill., native also did so at Georgia Tech on opening day.
• Bottcher (.333) and Smart (.267) are the only two Flames batting above .200 through five games. As a team, UIC is batting .145 with five extra-base hits and 11 runs scored this season.
• Sean Dee's single in the seventh inning was the first hit of his career.
• Austin Franczak served as starting designated hitter Saturday. He is the third different player to make start in that spot, joining Tom Farrell (2) and Danny Riley (2).

On Deck

• The series wraps up on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
• The game will stream on SECN+.