CHICAGO – The UIC baseball team dropped a 12-5 decision in the series opener to Milwaukee Friday (March 25) afternoon at Granderson Stadium.
 
Ryan Nagelbach led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 while connecting on his team-leading third home run of the season.
 
The Panthers struck first with a pair of unearned runs in the second and made it 3-0 with a RBI single in the third. UIC cut into the deficit in the home half of the third when Nagelbach took a 1-1 pitch out to right for the home run.
 
A Milwaukee solo homer in the top of the fourth pushed the advantage back up to three at 4-1 and three more runs in the fifth made it 7-1.
 
Garret McCarthy and Nagelbach recorded back-to-back hits in the seventh, putting runners on second and third with one out for Joshua Figueroa, who brought home McCarthy on an RBI groundout.
 
The Panthers put the game out of reach with a five-run eighth inning, aided by a grand slam by Milwaukee's Aaron Chapman to make it 12-2.
 
UIC picked up an RBI single by Ryan Lin-Peistrup in the eight and tacked on two more in the ninth to close the books on the 12-5 decision. Adam Weed delivered an RBI single and eventually scored from third on a throwing error by the Panther backstop.
 
Game 2 of the series, scheduled for Saturday afternoon, has been canceled due to the forecast of inclement weather. Game 3 of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 27.
 
News and Notes

• Nagelbach and Rayth Petersen each extended their team leading on-base streaks to 12 consecutive games.
• Rosario's single in the eighth pushed his hitting streak to five-straight games.
• Four different players drove in runs for the Flames Friday afternoon.