Tuesday, March 7

Evanston, Ill.

3 p.m.

Northwestern

2-9

UIC

5-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
UIC	2	1	2	1	1	1	1	9	13	1
Northwestern	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	6	1

Northwestern Falls In Home Opener To UIC

3/7/2017 6:44:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Wildcat bats got off to a hot start, scoring in both the second and third innings, but were not enough as Northwestern fell to the UIC flames 9-2 in seven innings in the home opener at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park.

The Wildcats (2-9) had a runner reach base in every inning, with 6 hits total, while UIC (5-6) recorded 13 of their own.

Freshman Matt Gannon earned the start, but was charged with the loss. Tommy Bordignon pitched a season-high 3.2 innings while Tyler Lass threw 2.0 innings.

The Wildcats were looking to open their home schedule with a win for the second straight season. It was UIC who got on the board first, however, taking the lead on a sharp grounder down the line just past the glove of third baseman Connor Lind. Gannon was pounding the strike zone, recording first pitch strikes in four of the first five at bats, while striking out two in the first inning.

Trailing by two after just a half inning, Northwestern looked to claw back in the bottom of the frame. Jack Dunn started it off with a four pitch walk, before Matt Hopfner reached on a fielder's choice. Alex Erro yanked a ball deep down the first baseline, with the potential extra base hit landing just foul, as Northwestern could not score in the first.

Joe Hoscheit and Jack Claeys had back to back singles to start the second. Lind worked a full count walk to load the bases, when Willie Bourbon hit a towering pop up to the warning track, scoring Hoscheit from third. Ben Dickey reloaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch, but Dunn was unable to bring Northwestern level.

Gannon's day would end when he was replaced in the second, recording two strikeouts in an inning and a third, allowing two earned runs on five hits. He was replaced by Tommy Bordignon, who got a quick strikeout to end the second. UIC added two more in the third when a line drive sailed just out of the reach of Dunn.

The Wildcats again crowded the bases in the third, starting with a Hopfner walk. The right fielder reached third on an Erro single to the gap, before scoring on a Hoscheit double play.

Northwestern's offense was kept in check by UIC's pitching in the later innings. Freshman Kyle Burnett Jr. doubled to start the seventh for the first extra base hit of his career, but was unable to score, and the game was called after seven innings due to darkness.

The Wildcats head west to Portland, Oregon for a four game swing starting Thursday, before returning home to host Central Michigan in a three game series beginning Friday, March 17th.