Baseball’s 3-1 win moves Flames into first place

Tyler Detmer recorded his first homer against Wright State Thursday night. Photo: Steve Woltmann

Friday’s game has been cancelled due to weather. The Flames will play a double-header vs. Wright State Saturday, 11 a.m., at Granderson Stadium.

The UIC baseball team (12-10-1, 8-2 HL) climbed to the top of the Horizon League standings Thursday night with a 3-1 home victory against Wright State (19-8, 7-2 HL).

Action continues Friday with the second game of the series beginning at 6 p.m. at Curtis Granderson Stadium. Chancellor Michael Amiridis will throw out the first pitch.

Sophomore Jake Dahlberg continued to impress on the mound as he gave up one run during 7.1 innings of work and improved to 4-1 for the season.

UIC has won 10 of its last 12 outings, including six straight games. The Flames pick up their first home win against Wright State since April 2013.

The Flames led wire-to-wire after senior Tyler Detmer recorded his first homer of the season in the opening frame. Detmer drove in his second RBI of the day in the third inning with a sac-fly to left field that plated senior Carl Sugihara. Sugihara reached base with his sixth double of the year.

Redshirt Freshman Gabe Dwyer tacked on UIC’s third and final score with his second collegiate round-tripper in the fifth frame.

Dahlberg, who lowered his team-leading ERA to 2.36, has 34 strikeouts this season after picking four Thursday night. During his last four starts, Dahlberg has allowed a mere three earned runs with 20 strikeouts.

Senior Ryan Hinchley earned his second save of the season after reliving Dahlberg with one out in the eighth inning. The 6-foot-4 lefty fanned consecutive batters in the eighth and went three-up three-down in the ninth. Hinchley now has 20 strikeouts in 16 total innings this season.