FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Behind a potent offense, the UIC baseball team cruised to a doubleheader sweep of Purdue Fort Wayne Saturday (May 15) afternoon. The Flames secured Game 1 by a 20-2 margin before completing the sweep with an 18-6 decision in the second game of the twin bill.
 
UIC will look for the series sweep Sunday afternoon having won six consecutive games, including the last four with 18 or more runs scores.
 
Ryan Lin-Peistrup was a team-best 5-for-7 in the batter's box Saturday, driving in a team-high six runs with two doubles and a home run. Thomas Norton connected on a pair of long balls, finishing the day 5-for-8 with five RBIs. Alex Dee, one of five players to hit a home run Saturday, connected on a grand slam during Game 1 of the doubleheader.
 
The Flames received a pair of strong pitching performances from their two starters. Chris Torres threw a seven-inning complete game in Saturday's first game, allowing two runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out five. In the nightcap, Ryan O'Reilly earned the win with six innings pitched, allowing a pair of runs on five hits. O'Reilly struck out seven and only allowed one walk.
 
Game One Highlights
The Mastodons jumped out to an early lead, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Purdue Fort Wayne's lead wouldn't last long, as the Flames scored a run in the second and three more in the third to take a 4-2 lead into the fourth.
 
UIC blew the game open with an eight-run fourth, with a three-run blast by Lin-Peistrup and a two-run shot by Norton providing the spark in the inning. The Flames were a doubles machine in the fifth, as Bryan Rosario, Figueroa and Norton all hit two-baggers, helping the Flames tack on four more runs.
 
The Flames scored for the fifth consecutive inning in the sixth, when Dee delivered a grand slam for his first home run of the season to push the score to its 20-2 final margin.
 
Game Two Highlights
Once again, the Mastodons took a 2-0 lead in the first before UIC's offense put the game out of reach. The Flames scored three in the second and one in the third, setting the stage for a seven-run fourth to make it 11-2 in favor of the visitors.
 
The Flames hit a pair of home runs in the inning, with Cory Moore starting off the scoring with a solo shot with one away. Rosario drove in two with a double and scored on Figueroa's infield single. Cole Conn lifted a sacrifice fly before Norton connected on his second two-run homer of the day.
 
Four more runs came around to score in the fifth, with Bottcher's triple to right center to drive home a pair serving as the big swing in the fifth frame.
 
Three more runs came in to score in the seventh, including Bobby Grimes' first RBI as a member of the Flames, as his single to center drove home Bottcher.
 
First pitch in Sunday's series finale is set for 12 p.m. (CT).