Chicago — UIC spoiled a quality start for Youngstown State's Jack Messmore by scoring five runs in its final two at bats, and the Flames beat the Penguins 6-3 on Saturday afternoon at Les Miller Field at Curtis Granderson Stadium.
Messmore allowed one hit through the first six innings, and YSU held a 3-1 lead when he exited with two runners on and one out in the seventh. UIC scored four runs in the seventh and added an insurance run in the eighth for its 6-3 victory.
Five Penguins had a hit apiece, and Garrett Cutting homered for the second straight day. UIC finished with six hits, five of which came after there was one out in the seventh inning.
Messmore finished allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in 6.1 innings, and he was cruising until a long top of the seventh preceded the Flames' four-run bottom of the seventh.
UIC scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third when leadoff batter Vidal Colon was awarded ball four with the count full due to a pitch clock violation and scored two batters later when Gavin Acosta's double.
Garrett Cutting's long home run to left field with James Carlson aboard in the top of the fifth put the Penguins up 2-1, and they added a run in the top of the seventh.
Nic Goodwin led off with a single, and Carlson hit a high infield popup that second baseman Jake Busson lost in the sun, putting two runners on with one out. Mark Eddie relieved UIC starter Brandon Bak and walked Cutting and Ryan Schumer on full counts to force in Goodwin for YSU's third run. The Penguins then appeared to add a run when it was initially ruled that Alex Jang beat out a double play ball for an RBI on a fielder's choice, but Jang was called out for missing first base after an umpire's conference. YSU head coach Trevor Charpie challenged the call, which was upheld after replay.
Messmore had to wait during the long top of the seventh, and he allowed back-to-back one-out singles on his final two batters of the game. Bryce Palms came in with runners at the corners with one out to face James Hackett in a lefty-versus-lefty matchup, and Hackett flared a soft RBI single to left-center for the Flames' third straight hit. A walk followed to reload the bases, and all three runners scored on Karim Patterson's single to right field. The final run crossed the plate after the throw to the infield bounced away.
YSU had a chance to cut into the 5-3 deficit in the eighth as Brady Shannon was at third with one out but was stranded, and Ashton Kampa gave the Flames an insurance run with a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth.
Youngstown State and UIC will finish their three-game series on Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern.
