NORMAL, Ill. – The no. 4 seed UIC baseball team (22-33, 16-11 MVC) continued play in the 2025 MVC Baseball Championship on Saturday, as it started the day with an elimination game against the no. 2 seed Missouri State, the second time the two sides have met in the tournament this year.
 
For the first time this tournament, the Flames did not tally a first inning run in Saturday's elimination game. Missouri State instead took the early advantage on a solo home run and doubled its lead to 2-0 after two complete innings. UIC answered back in the top of the third, loading the bases and bringing home its first run on a Colin Husko base on balls.
 
Kendall Lyons was outstanding for the Flames in his fifth start of the 2025 season, lasting six and two-thirds innings and surrendering only two earned runs.
 
The Bears delivered the knockout punch in the bottom of the eighth inning, as two solo home runs stretched the advantage to 4-1.
 
UIC fell in order in the top of the ninth, and its season came to an end by a 4-1 final score.
 

Final score from Duffy Bass Field.

Thank you Flames fans for a memorable 2025 season!#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/vt3f6dWDuO

— UIC Baseball ???? (@UIC_Baseball) May 24, 2025

 
The full box score and play-by-play recap can be found here.
 
COACH'S COMMENTS

Head coach @smacball4 addresses the resiliency of his team following today's elimination game#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/K6R9m30dTc

— UIC Baseball ???? (@UIC_Baseball) May 24, 2025

 
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

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Flames pull within one on this bases loaded walk to Colin Husko!

#4?? - 1
#2?? - 2

??: https://t.co/aqzlqszPpk
??: https://t.co/ydJJnKNaVp#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/vrhTqKktW6

— UIC Baseball ???? (@UIC_Baseball) May 24, 2025

 

Kendall Lyons with a strikeout to end the inning ??

UIC: 1
MSU: 2

??: https://t.co/aqzlqszPpk
??: https://t.co/ydJJnKNaVp #ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/HF6Y6dsuvK

— UIC Baseball ???? (@UIC_Baseball) May 24, 2025

 

Big Mike comes in and gets a big out to strand a runner at third!#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/wJTLytOLZf

— UIC Baseball ???? (@UIC_Baseball) May 24, 2025

 
SEASON RECAP
The Flames finish the season with a 22-33 overall record, including earning their best overall seed in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament with a 16-11 conference record. UIC finished the month of May with a 9-4 record, including winning 11 of its final 15 MVC regular season games.
 
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
For more information on UIC Athletics and UIC baseball, visit UICFlames.com. Fans can also follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Baseball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_baseball and @uicflames).