FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The UIC baseball team opened a four-game series against #3 Arkansas Thursday afternoon with a doubleheader. After dropping the opener by a 12-4 margin, the Flames were in position to pull off the upset in Game 2. The Flames took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth before a late Razorback rally proved to be the difference-maker in a 5-4 victory for the hosts.
 
Ryan Nagelbach was one of three Flames to drive in two runs over the course of the doubleheader, with one coming on UIC's lone home run of the afternoon. Rayth Petersen, Cole Conn and Nagelbach all had two hits each, while Clay Conn and Cory Moore joined Nagelbach with a pair of RBIs.
 
Thursday's doubleheader was played due to the threat of inclement weather Friday. The Flames will now have Friday off and will resume its four-game series on Saturday, with first pitch slated for 2 p.m.
 
Game 1 Recap
Arkansas struck first with a two-out RBI in the home half of the first. After the leadoff batter reached base with a single and stole second, the Razorbacks drove the runner in from second with a two-out single to center.
 
The Flames looked to bounce back in the top of the fourth after Rayth Petersen drew a one-out walk. Ryan Nagelbach collected UIC's first hit of the afternoon with a single to right, putting runners on first and second with one out, but the next two batters were retired to end the scoring opportunity.
 
Peterson settled down after the first inning, retiring 13 batters in row to keep the Flames within striking distance.
 
UIC nearly evened the score at 1-all in the sixth after Clay Conn walked to lead off the inning. The redshirt freshman then stole second and moved to third on the Bryan Rosario sac bunt, but a great defensive play and a strikeout closed the door on the threat.
 
The Razorbacks broke the game open with a six-run sixth inning to take a commanding 7-0 lead before UIC began to climb back with three runs in the top of the seventh. Cole Conn doubled to lead off the inning and Sean Dee was hit with a one-out pitch to put runners on first and second. Cory Moore delivered an RBI double down the right field line to plate the pair before Clay Conn followed with a run-scoring double of his own.
 
Arkansas added a run in the seventh and four more in the eighth to extend the lead to 12-3, with Clay Conn driving in a run in the ninth after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to close the books on the 12-4 decision.
 
Game 2 Recap
The Flames punched first in the second game of the doubleheader, as a leadoff walk by Clay Conn came around to score on an RBI groundout by Nagelbach in the top of the first to give UIC a 1-0 lead.
 
The advantage grew to 2-0 in the fourth after Rosario doubled to lead off the inning. With two down, Cole Conn doubled down the right field line to bring Rosario home and double the Flames' lead.
 
Nagelbach made it 3-0 UIC with a solo blast in the sixth, his second of the season, but Arkansas countered with an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning to make it 3-1 UIC.
 
UIC was quick to build the lead back up to three in the top of the seventh after Cole Conn was hit by a pitch to open the inning. The catcher then stole second and came home to score on Sean Dee's RBI single up the middle.
 
The combination of timely defense and UIC's pitching staff kept the Razorback offense at bay through the first seven innings, allowing just two hits and minimal scoring opportunities. The defense turned a pair of crucial double plays, one of which erased a bases loaded, one out, threat for Arkansas in the fourth.
 
Arkansas finally broke through with four runs on four hits in the eighth to take a 5-4 lead.
 
Down to their final three outs, pinch hitter Luke Piccchiotti led off the top of the ninth with a walk but was caught trying to steal second. With one out left, Moore reached base after being hit by a pitch, but a strikeout ended UIC's bid at a comeback.
 
Tyler Ingram threw 4.1 innings of one-hit ball for the Flames in Game 2 before handing things off to Peter Newton and Matt Zahora, who each pitched 1.1 innings and allowed just one hit.