MILLINGTON, Tenn. – The UIC baseball team opened up a three-game series against SIU Edwardsville Saturday afternoon, as the Flames and Cougars played a double-header at the former home complex of USA baseball.
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GAME 1 (W, 13-3 [8 innings])
- The Flames jumped out to an early start in the double-header opener Saturday, racing out to a 3-0 start in the opening inning on a Charlie Szykowny three-run home run.
- Clay Conn doubled the Flames' lead in the second and third innings, hitting a solo home run of his own in the top of the second, and plating two with a single to right field in the third.
- UIC had a big fourth inning to extend its lead, plating four more runs to extend the lead to eight at 10-2.
- Kade Lancour earned his third win of the season, going six strong innings, surrendering just three runs on four hits.
- Zane Zielinski had two hits in game one, and also drove in two runs.
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GAME 2 (L, 6-9)
- The beginning of game two was a stark contrast to game one, as both offenses struggled to find hits through the first four innings.
- The Cougars amounted just four hits through the first four innings against game two starter Brandon Bak.
- SIUE came alive offensively in the fifth inning, plating three runs on a bases-clearing double off the bat of Brady Bunten.
- The Flames would answer with a single run in the top of the sixth, as Rayth Petersen scored from third on a balk after reaching on a walk and advancing to third on a Charlie Szykowny single.
- The Cougars answered with an RBI single and a three-run home run in the bottom half of the sixth to extend their lead to 7-1.
- After the Cougars extended the lead to 9-1 in the seventh inning, the Flames mounted a valiant comeback effort in the visiting half of the ninth. UIC would score five runs in the top of the ninth with three RBI walks, an RBI hit-by-pitch, and a fielder's choice scoring a run to bring the score to 9-6.
- The Flames would leave the bases loaded to close the game, with the potential tying run standing on first base.
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The two will close out three-game series on Sunday, with a single game beginning at 1:00 p.m. CT. Live stats are available via the schedule page at UICFlames.com.
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