Skip To Main Content

UIC Athletics

thevalley
Alex Padilla
Steve Woltmann
2
Northwestern NU 11-14
4
Winner UIC UIC 11-11
Northwestern NU
11-14
2
Final
4
UIC UIC
11-11
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Northwestern NU 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 4 2
UIC UIC 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 X 4 6 2

W: Gosbeth, Fred (2-0) L: Anthony Alepra (0-1) S: Padilla, Alex (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Flames Take Down Northwestern, 4-2

UIC beats Northwestern for seventh time in eight meetings

CHICAGO – UIC received solid pitching all night, a pair of home runs and a timely two-out hit to knock off the Northwestern Wildcats at Granderson Stadium on Wednesday night, 4-2.

Alex Dee and Scott Ota went deep for the Flames (11-11), while Matt Bottcher's seventh-inning double gave UIC the lead for good. On the bump, Braeden Toikka surrendered one earned run over 5.1 IP and a trio of relievers teamed up to hold Northwestern (11-14) off the scoreboard over the final 3.2 innings. Fred Gosbeth picked up his second victory and Alex Padilla nailed down his third save for the Flames.

How It Happened
  • Braeden Toikka retired the first six Northwestern hitters in order before the offense dented the scoreboard with a couple of runs in the bottom of the second. Thomas Smart reached on an error by the Wildcat second baseman with one away and the next hitter, Alex Dee made them pay. The first baseman parked a Tommy D'Alise pitch over the wall in right field to give UIC a 2-0 lead.
  • Toikka held the Wildcats hitless through the first four innings of the ballgame before NU got on base on a fluky play. Willie Bourbon hit a ball high into right field and UIC's Scott Ota lost track it in the lights. He would advance to third base on a wild pitch and score on a sacrifice fly.
  • Northwestern would tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the sixth on a UIC throwing error with two outs.
  • The Flames found a way to get back in front in the bottom of the seventh. Dee reached on an error to start the inning. Pinch runner Tom Farrell got to second on a sacrifice bunt from David Becker and he scored when Matt Bottcher blasted a ground-rule double to the gap in left-center field.  The ball took a fortunate bounce for the Wildcats because it looked like Derrick Patrick would score from first base, as well, but he had to hold at third base and NU stranded him there.
  • Ryan O'Reilly mowed down the Wildcats in the top of the eighth inning and Scott Ota helped UIC pad the cushion in the top of the ninth. The reigning Horizon League Batter of the Week clubbed a two-run home run to right field to make it 4-2 in favor of the home team.
  • After giving up a single on his first pitch, Alex Padilla retired Northwestern in order to nail down his third save of the campaign.
Notable
  • The Flames have won seven of the last eight meetings against Northwestern dating back to the 2016 season. In that span UIC has outscored the Wildcats, 44-12.
  • UIC has won four consecutive games, matching its longest winning streak of the season. The Flames also won four in a row against Chicago State and Oakland (3) between March 12-17.
  • The win snapped Northwestern's five-game winning streak.
  • Scott Ota's home run was is seventh of the season, adding to his career-high total.
  • Alex Dee's home run in the second inning was the first of the season for the first baseman. It was the sixth of his career.
  • Fred Gosbeth picked up the win in relief for the second time in as many midweek appearances. He allowed just one hit in 1.2 IP on Wednesday.
  • Alex Padilla earned his third save of the season and the first since March 17 against Oakland.
On Deck
  • The Flames will jump back into Horizon League play on Friday, April 5, when they will begin a three-game series at Youngstown State.
Print Friendly Version