May 3, 2014

Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. - UIC broke open a back-and-forth game with five runs in the fifth inning in claiming a 15-7 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball team on a windy Saturday afternoon at Granderson Stadium.

The Panthers (16-20, 8-9 Horizon League) led from the first at bat of the game, only to see the Flames (21-19, 14-9 Horizon League) respond with three of their own in the bottom of the first inning en route to their seventh consecutive victory on the season.

"I was really pleased with the way swung the bats today," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "I thought we had good at bats all day. In those conditions, you better really pitch it against an offensive club like UIC and we just did not. But, tomorrow is another day and we need to find a way to salvage one down here. Momentum and confidence is huge heading towards the end of the regular season and the tournament."

Once both leadoff hitters hit home runs in the first, it appeared a big day for the offenses was in the works. The two teams combined for 34 hits a day after recording just 12 in the series opener Friday.

Junior Derek Peake jump-started the day with a home run to right field on the second pitch of the game for his first collegiate round-tripper. A hit batter and a single had UWM in business, but it could not take advantage outside of the one run.

The Flames responded quickly, plating three in the bottom of the frame on the strength of two hits, three walks and a wild pitch.

Milwaukee made it 3-2 on Peake's double in the second, missing his second home run of the day by just a few feet when it hit high off the wall down the line.

But, UIC was not done, scoring a run each over the next three frames, capped by a five-run outburst in the fifth that was helped along by a pair of errors.

The Panthers tried to make it a game, getting four in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 11-7 at the time. Three of the runs came on doubles off the bats of freshman Zach Brenner, Peake and sophomore Mitch Ghelfi. But, UIC kept tacking on from there to earn the victory.

It was a nice day for Peake, who tied career-highs in hits and RBI in a 3-for-5 day where he drove in three. Senior Pat Wilson went 3-for-5 and also had a home run stolen from him on a great catch over the wall in the seventh inning.

Sophomore Nick Unes added a 3-for-5 day, with Brenner finishing 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.

John Coen led UIC with a 4-for-4 day that included a pair of home runs and five runs batted in.

The teams will wrap up the series with a 1 p.m. start Sunday.