MIAMI – The UIC baseball team ended its first series of the 2021 season on a high note, taking Game 2 of a Saturday doubleheader against Florida International, 10-6, to collect its first win of the year. The Flames split Saturday's twin bill, dropping an extra innings affair against the Panthers, 4-3, in 10 innings.
 
Game 1 Recap
 
Florida International (2-0) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead over the visiting Flames (0-2), After the Panthers loaded the bases, an RBI fielder's choice plated the first run of the game. Jacob Key limited the damage, striking out the next batter to leave a pair of runners stranded on base.
 
FIU's advantage grew to 2-0 in the fourth after a two-out double and an RBI single the ensuing batter. Once again, Key struck out the final batter of the inning to keep the Flames within striking distance.
 
The score would remain 2-0 until the top of the eighth when the Flames jumped ahead 3-2. With one out, Bryan Rosario walked, Thomas Smart singled to left and Matt Bottcher walked to load the bases. Brett Tressen came through in the clutch, clearing the bases with a single and the aid of an error by Florida International's pitcher. The next two batters were retired, stranding Tressen at second.
 
Florida International answered in the bottom of the ninth, as a leadoff double would come around to score on a two-out double, sending the game to extra innings tied at three.
 
After a scoreless ninth, the Panthers won the game in the 10^th. With a runner at first, a stolen base paired with an error by the Flames allowed the winning run to come around to score the winning run.
 
Jacob Key earned a no decision, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out seven in 6.0 innings of work. Bottcher had a pair of base hits, while Tressen led the way with a pair of RBIs.
 
Game 2 Recap
 
UIC struck first in the series finale, jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead. Thomas Smart led off the game with a walk and would advance all the way to third on a wild pitch and passed ball before Bottcher delivered an RBI single. The Flames would threaten with a pair of runners on with one out, but a double play ended the early threat.
 
Florida International would come back to take the 2-1 lead behind runs in both the third and fourth inning. The lead was short-lived, as a three-run top of the fifth put the Flames back in front by a 4-2 margin. UIC loaded the bases with its first three batters behind a leadoff double from Thomas Norton, a Rosario walk and a fielder's choice by Smart. Bottcher brought in a run with a single, followed by a single by Tressen to bring in two more. The Flames were unable to take advantage anymore, leaving the bases loaded.
 
The Panthers countered with a run in the bottom half of the inning and three more in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-4 lead before the Flames poured it on late.
 
UIC scored the final six runs of the game, including a five-run eighth. The Flames first got a run in the seventh after a leadoff double from Joshua Figueroa would eventually come around to score on a Norton RBI double to right.
 
The Panthers walked the first three batters of the eighth before a Figueroa drove in a run with a single to right. The Flames would go on to score a total of five runs in the eighth behind a pair of hits and two errors by the hosts.
 
Joey Morris pitched the final 2.1 innings to earn the win, keeping the Panthers off the board and sealing the UIC victory.