BERKELEY, Calif. – The UIC baseball team opened a three-game at California in impressive fashion Friday (Feb. 25) evening, as the Flames took down the Golden Bears by a 4-2 final.
 
Nate Peterson, the reigning Horizon League Pitcher of the Week, dazzled for the second time in as many starts to open the season. The lefty allowed just two runs (one earned) over 6.2 innings on five hits while striking out eight and not allowing a walk to earn his first win with the Flames.
 
Cole Conn and Bryan Rosario each went deep for the Flames' first two home runs of the season while UIC's offense took the lead in the seventh thanks to some wildness by the California bullpen.
 
The Flames looked to take an early lead with a scoring opportunity in the third inning. Ryan Lin-Peistrup led off the inning with a single before moving to second on a wild pitch. James Harris, making his first collegiate start at first base, laid down a bunt single to put runners on the corners with nobody out. The threat would go unanswered, as Cal worked its way out of the jam to keep things scoreless.
 
UIC and California would remain even until Conn led off the top of the fifth with a solo blast to right center. The Flames' lead wouldn't last long as a leadoff homer in the home half of the fifth would knot things up at 1-all.
 
The Flames broke the tie score in the seventh with a pair of runs. Joshua Figueroa led off the inning with a double down the left field line and move to third on a passed ball. Conn walked and stole second with one away. Both runners would move up 90 feet, with Figueroa scampering home on a wild pitch by the Golden Bear reliever to make it 3-1 in favor of the visitors. Lin-Peistrup lifted a sac fly to right, allowing Conn to score and push the advantage to 4-1.
 
Cal looked to climb back into it, scoring an unearned run on a two-out error by UIC in the bottom of the seventh. UIC quickly pushed the advantage back up to two in the top of the eighth when Bryan Rosario launched his first homer of the year to right to put the Flames in front, 4-2.
 
Cristian Lopez, shined in relief, striking out six over 2.1 innings of relief to pick up the save. The righty allowed just two hits and issued no walks in the relief outing.
 
UIC and California will wrap up the series on Saturday with a doubleheader. Game 1 of the twin bill will start at 4 p.m. (CT).
 
News and Notes

• Conn and Rosario recorded the first two home runs of the season.
• Peterson has now struck out 21 batters over the first 13.2 innings he's pitched this season.
• Rosario has a hit in each of the first four games this year.
• UIC's pitchers combined to strike out 14 batters Friday evening.