CHICAGO – After taking an early lead with a run in the first inning, Milwaukee surrendered the next six as the UIC Flames went on to earn the non-conference win by the score of 10-7 on Tuesday afternoon.
 
James Harris led UIC with five RBIs, finishing the day 2-for-5 at the plate. Zane Zielinski had three hits at the top of the Flames' lineup and drove in a pair. UIC outhit the Panthers 15-5, with seven extra-base hits.
 
Zach Lane led the Panthers, driving in two of their seven runs, as Sean Tillmon scored a pair to lead the Milwaukee offense. Gabe Roessler had three walks in the effort and scored a run, as the Black and Gold drew nine walks as a team, their most in a game since May of 2022.
 
"We had far too many missed opportunities today when we were able to put traffic on the basepaths," commented head coach Shaun Wegner. "We found free passes today but ultimately didn't score enough to win."
 
Despite scoring a season-high seven runs, the Panthers saw six pitchers allow 10 runs on a season-worst 15 hits.
 
"On the mound we hung an off-speed pitch that got their offense going," Wegner added. "But give them credit … their lineup did a good job of finding the inside of the baseball. If we make one or two more plays defensively that could have changed things for us."
 
Lane gave Milwaukee the early lead with a run scoring single to bring Roessler around who walked with one out before stealing his first base of the season.
 
After keeping the Flames scoreless in the first, Logan Snow allowed four runs in the second including a two-run triple off the bat of Harris. Cole Spitzer made his collegiate debut in the next inning and after retiring the side in the third was charged with two runs in the fourth as UIC extended its lead to 6-1.
 
Milwaukee chipped away in the fifth as the Panthers loaded the bases before Roessler was hit by a pitch to score the second Panther run. Justin Hausser picked up an RBI with an infield single before Carson Hansen added an RBI with a bases-loaded walk to make it a 6-4 score.
 
The Flames added a run in the seventh before Milwaukee led off the eighth with back-to-back doubles as Tyler Bickers drove in Hansen. Tai Walton picked up an RBI later in the inning to close the deficit to one at 7-6.
 
The Panther pitching staff just did not have the ability to keep the game close as UIC scored three more in the bottom of the eighth, capped off by a two-run double by Harris to put the home team up by four. Milwaukee added an unearned run in the ninth to close out the scoring.
 
Snow took the loss as he went the first two innings and allowed three earned runs while striking out three. DJ Kojis went 1 1/3 innings without allowing a run, while Logan Dobberstein pitched a scoreless sixth for the Panthers.
 
Seven pitchers took the bump for UIC with Zack Millsap securing the win to improve to 2-0 on the year. Reece Lawler picked up his second save.
 
Milwaukee will head to Bowling Green, Kentucky next for their four-game series against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The first game will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8.