CHICAGO, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball program dropped its series-opening contest with UIC, 10-2, Friday evening at Les Miller Field at Curtis Granderson Stadium. With the defeat, the Redbirds fall to 30-19 and move to 12-10 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
After three scoreless frames, the Flames opened the fourth with a pair of singles to place runners on the corners to open the frame. With two runners on, UIC loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, setting up an RBI single to open scoring and take a 1-0 advantage.
The Flames later added a pair of runs on a fielder's choice and a Redbird error before rounding out the inning with an RBI single to grow its lead to 4-0.
In the fifth, the Flames followed a leadoff single with a two-run home run to extend their lead to 6-0. With a pair of runs on the board in the frame, UIC added two more on a fielder's choice and an RBI ground-rule double to push its lead to 8-0.
Trailing in the sixth, the Redbirds added a pair of runs as Junior Luke Stulga followed a two-out single from Junior Graham Mastros with a single of his own as the Redbirds capitalized on a Flames error to plate two runs and make the score 8-2. In the home half, UIC pulled a run back with a solo home run to take a 9-2 advantage.
With an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth, the Flames grew their lead to 10-2 and limited the Redbirds' offense in the top of the ninth to secure the Friday night victory.
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