LOUISVILLE, Ky. – UIC got off to a sensational start in a hostile environment Friday night, but the Flames were unable to hold the early lead as they dropped the NCAA Louisville Regional to the host Cardinals, 5-3.

The Flames (29-22) took the lead one batter into the game when Derrick Patrick cracked his fourth home run of the season out to center field. After a nine-pitch inning from Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Jacob Key, UIC added two more tallies in the top of the second. Joshua Figueroa muscled a solo shot of his own to center field before Patrick's hustle into second base allowed Thomas Smart to score and put the visitors up by three runs.

Louisville (44-15), the seventh national seed, tied the game in the bottom of the second inning and grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the third. The Flames threatened to tie the game in the top of the ninth as they put two in scoring position, but Louisville closer Michael McAvene came in throwing 100 miles per hour as her struck out the next three UIC hitters to end the game.



How It Happened

• The first UIC batter to step in the box at an NCAA Regional since 2017, Derrick Patrick, put the Flames on the board right away. The senior hammered the fourth pitch of the game out deep to center field to put the Flames in front by a run.
• UIC continued to add on with two more runs in the top of the second. Joshua Figueroa cranked a solo blast out to center field to kick off the inning and double the lead. Later with the bases loaded, Ryan Lin-Peistrup drove in a run with a fielder's choice as Patrick hustled his way to second base, beating a late throw to the bag and allowing Thomas Smart to score

• The Cardinals chipped tied the game in the bottom of the third. Louisville got a two-run home run to center from Danny Oriente before the tying run scored from second base on a UIC error. The Flames had to make a defensive change in the inning. Figueroa was removed after colliding with a protective screen on the field of play and designated hitter Ryan Hampe moved behind the plate. That also meant starting pitcher Jacob Key was inserted into Figueroa's spot in the batting order. Key took his first career at-bat in the top of the third and went down swinging at strike three.
• Louisville took its first lead of the night with another unearned run in the bottom of the third. Tyler Fitzgerald led off the inning with a double and he scored on a throwing error that followed a check-swing single from Alex Binelas.
• Both Key and Louisville starter Nick Bennett threw up scoreless frames in the fourth before the Cards picked up another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly.
• Bennett retired 12 consecutive Flames after Alex Dee singled in the top of the second. After issuing a walk to Matt Bottcher with two away in the sixth, Louisville went to the bullpen. Thomas Smart greeted the new hurler with a base hit, but Dee grounded out to end the threat.
• Fred Gosbeth relieved Key and retired all six Louisville hitters he faced in the sixth and seventh innings. The right-hander threw 12 pitches and 11 of them were strikes.
• After Sam Menegat worked a scoreless inning in the bottom of the eighth, the Flames sparked one more rally at the dish. Bottcher walked before Smart ripped a two-bagger to the corner in right field to put the tying run in scoring position with nobody out. Louisville turned to Michael McAvene and he struck out the next three Flames to face him, touching 100 miles per hour to nail down his seventh save.

Notable

• Derrick Patrick's leadoff home run was the first of his career. It was second game-opening long ball of the season for the Flames; Scott Ota led off the third game of the season at Georgia State with the first of his single-season record 19 home runs.
• Jacob Key's at-bat in the top of the third inning was the second by a UIC starting pitcher this season. Before undergoing surgery that ended his collegiate career, Noah Masa took an at-bat at Milwaukee on March 30 in a game the Flames won 21-6.
• Three of UIC's six hits in the game went for extra bases with home runs by Patrick and Joshua Figueroa and the ninth-inning double off the bat of Thomas Smart.
• Smart led the Flames with two hits. It was his 12^th multi-hit game in 2019. He has reached base safely in a team-high eight consecutive games.
• The Flames lost for the first time in 10 games this season when hitting at least two home runs. UIC was 9-0 in 2019 with multiple long balls, most recently winning the Horizon League Championship on May 25 over Milwaukee when Ryan Hampe went deep twice on his own.
• On the mound, Key surrendered three earned runs or less for the 11^th time in 16 starts. He struck out at least three batters for the 15^th time.
• UIC had at least three defensive errors for the ninth time this season.
• The Flames are 15-6 when scoring in the first inning and 22-8 when scoring first. UIC is 1-6 when scoring three runs and 1-2 when the opposition scored five times.

On Deck

• UIC will take on the No. 2 seed Indiana on Saturday at 10 a.m. CT in an elimination game. The Hoosiers fell to No. 3 Illinois State on Friday afternoon, 8-7.
• Indiana (36-22), which is coached by former Wright State head coach Jeff Mercer, was the regular-season champion in the Big Ten.
• All-Horizon League Second Team selection Joey Fredrickson will start on the mound for UIC. He'll be opposed by left-hander Andrew Saalfrank for the Hoosiers. Saalfrank is the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.