The Illinois-Chicago Flames died out rather quickly Wednesday against Kansas University at Hoglund Ballpark.
A day after dropping a baseball game with the Jayhawks, 24-2, the Flames jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning of the first game of a doubleheader, but didn’t score again. KU swept the twinbill, 3-2 and 3-0, under wet, windy weather conditions.
“They were very close games,” KU coach Bobby Randall said. “I was really proud of how our team the way we battled back.”
UIC scored a run in the first inning and one in the third of the first game, both with two outs. But the Flames managed just one hit against KU starter Doug Lantz (1-1) the rest of the way.
KU collected three hits as well, but didn’t need one of them in scoring its first two runs. Doug Dreher’s sacrifice fly in the fifth inning drove in John Nelson for the Jayhawks’ first run and KU tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning when Jesse Gremminger scored on a groundout by Kevin Wheeler.
Shortstop John Nelson collected KU’s final hit, belting a game-winning home run on a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall in the bottom of the seventh.
“I just wanted to get on base any way I could,” said Nelson, KU’s leadoff hitter, “and luckily for me it went over the fence. I didn’t care as long as I got on base. I knew someone was going to drive me around and we were going to win the ballgame.”
The Jayhawks couldn’t keep the momentum from Nelson’s walk-off homer in the second game, but received a three-hit shutout from Pete Smart and a three-run fourth inning to grab the victory.
“We didn’t have very good offense,” Randall said, “but Pete was too good.”
Smart fanned seven on his way to the complete-game victory, his fifth of the season against no losses. The senior right-hander, who dropped his ERA to 3.72, gave credit for the victory to senior catcher Brent Del Chiaro.
“That’s 50 percent of the key to my success,” Smart said of his batterymate. “He calls a tremendous game and when I’m executing his game, this sort of thing happens. He’s the best catcher I’ve probably ever thrown to.”
The Jayhawks (11-9) scored three runs in the fourth, with Gremminger, Matt Tribble and Jason Appuhn driving in runs.
Kansas played the doubleheader instead of its scheduled game Friday against the Flames because of the possibility of inclement weather.
The Jayhawks will face Michigan at 4 p.m. Saturday.
