NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Joshua Figueroa hit his second home run of the season in UIC's series finale Sunday (Feb. 23), as the Flames dropped a 5-2 decision to No. 4 Vanderbilt.
 
Trailing 4-0 in the sixth, Brett Tressen singled to lead off the inning, setting the stage for Figueroa's blast to left to cut the deficit in half. The Flames' comeback bid would end there, as the Commodores added an insurance run in the eighth.
 
Figueroa was one of five Flames to record hit Sunday and raised his season total of RBIs to a team-leading six.
 
UIC returns home in anticipation of its home opener, scheduled for Tuesday (Feb. 25) afternoon against Roosevelt. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. at Curtis Granderson Stadium.
 
How it Happened

• Vanderbilt struck first, scoring a run in the home half of the first inning. A walk and single gave the Commodores two on with nobody out. Austin Martin grounded into a double play, allowing the first of the game to score.
• A solo shot by Vandy in the second inning extended the lead to 2-0. Bobby Nicolson settled in afterwards, throwing a scoreless third and fourth while striking out three in the process.
• The hosts added a pair of runs int the fifth on a double and a sac fly to extend the advantage to 4-0.
• UIC battled back in the sixth behind the bat of Figueroa. Tressen singled to shortstop to open the inning before Figueroa launched a 1-0 pitch to left for his second home run of the year and trim the deficit to 4-2.
• Mark McCabe entered in relief in the bottom of the sixth and fired a scoreless inning before Vanderbilt added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.

News and Notes

• Figueroa's home run was his second of the year and upped his RBI total to six. The redshirt junior has accounted for six of UIC's 11 RBIs this year.
• Tressen and Ryan Lin-Peistrup each added a hit Sunday and both have now reached base safely in four consecutive games.
• The Flames turned a season-high three double plays Sunday