CHICAGO – Wright State avenged a 6-1 loss in the series opener to UIC by claiming both games in a doubleheader on Saturday. The Raiders won the first game at Granderson Stadium, 10-3, and took the finale, 7-1.

UIC took a two-run lead very early in the first game. After a quick defensive inning in the first, the Flames saw only five pitches before the first run of the game came home to score. Lead-off hitter Matt Bottcher singled and scored all the way from first base when David Becker muscled a double deep to the gap in left-centerfield. Becker would later score on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Hampe.

After being held to a single run on three hits Friday, the WSU bats came alive and they scored four runs in the top of the second. The lead would grow to as many as eight runs with the help of a five-run eighth. UIC pushed across one run on an RBI single from Joshua Figueroa in the bottom of the ninth to dictate the final margin.

The teams were tied at a run apiece after two innings in the nightcap, but another explosive five-run inning in the top of the third put the Raiders in front for good. The visitors added one in the fifth to go on to win, 7-1.

How It Happened – Game One

• Following a quick frame on the bump from Joey Fredrickson, the Flames scored twice in the bottom of the first to take an early lead. Matt Bottcher singled for UIC and then David Becker ripped the first pitch he saw from Zane Collins into the gap in left-centerfield. Bottcher motored all the way around from first base to score on the stand-up double. Later, Becker scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of designated hitter Ryan Hampe.
• The Raiders countered in the top of the second with four runs, three of which were unearned. Wright State pounded out four hits on the inning and four different batters drove in runs. The visitors added to the advantage with a solo home run off the bat of Seth Gray in the top of the third inning.
• After Gray's home run, Fredrickson got into a groove. The right-handers set down 11 consecutive Raiders before Tyler Black shot a single down the right-field line to break up the streak.
• Wright State pulled away with five runs in the top of the eighth. Once again there was an error that helped the Raiders score three earned runs and two unearned tallies on four hits and a throwing error.

How It Happened – Game Two

• Wright State took the first lead for the second time in the series in the top of the first. JD Orr reached on an infield single and he would score on a wild pitch. The Raiders recorded two outs on the base paths as Peyton Burdick tried to stretch a base hit into a double and Seth Gray was caught trying to steal second to end the frame.
• UIC evened the ledger with two down in the bottom of the second inning, thanks to the efforts of the bottom of the batting order. Alex Dee walked and advanced to second on a fielder's choice. With two away, Ryan Lin-Peistrup uncorked a single to center field that scored Dee and tied the score at a run apiece.
• The visitors hung another crooked number on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning. Wright State pounded out five runs on four hits and it was helped by a pair of double steals in the inning.
• Wright State added one more run in the top of the fifth. The Flames' bullpen - Sam Menegat, Ryan O'Reilly and Alex Padilla - did not allow a run over the final 4.1 innings.

On Deck

• UIC will host Northern Illinois at Granderson Stadium on Tuesday, March 26 at 3:05 p.m. That is one hour earlier than previously scheduled.
• The Flames are 3-9 in non-conference play this season and 1-1 in midweek games.