Feb. 17, 2007
ATLANTA – Illinois-Chicago scored nine runs in the ninth inning to take an 11-4 victory over Georgia Tech (2-3) Saturday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Flames (2-3) had runners on first and second with two outs in the ninth but the Jackets struggled to finish off frame, as UIC recorded four more hits and were aided by two walks, two Yellow Jacket errors and a wild pitch. All nine runs in the inning were unearned.
Georgia Tech starter Ryan Turner pitched well, allowing just two runs on seven hits while striking out five in six innings of work. Jared Hyatt pitched two scoreless innings in relief, giving up one hit while striking out three.
All nine Yellow Jacket starters had at least one hit in the game, with Luke Murton, Curtis Dupart and Jeff Ussery each recording two hits.
Jay Dantzler hit a two-out single, moved to second on a balk by UIC starter Ryan Zink, and scored on a single by Danny Payne to give Georgia Tech the 1-0 lead in the second inning.
The Jackets tacked on two more runs in the third inning to push the score to 3-0. Murton hit a one-out single through the left side, advanced to third on a single by Patrick Long, and scored on a single by Dupart. A double by Ussery plated Dupart for the final run of the inning.
A home run by Brett Schaefer, his first of the season, and an RBI groundout by David Cales pulled the Flames to within one run of the Yellow Jackets in the top of the sixth inning, 3-2.
Tech added a run in the bottom of the eighth when Ussery led off with a bunt single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dantzler, and scored on a double by Michael Fisher.
Steve Crnkovich (1-0) earned the win for the Flames, allowing just one run on six hits in eight innings of work, while Brad Rulon (0-1) took the loss, giving up five unearned runs on three hits in the ninth inning.
Tech and Illinois-Chicago will play the rubber game of the three-game series Sunday, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Live stats will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
