Horizon League Roundup

UIC 8, Valparaiso 5

NILES — Top-seeded Illinois-Chicago scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and went on to defeat upstart Valparaiso.

The Flames (32-19) trailed 4-2 and had two outs and no one on base in the seventh inning. But Brett Schaeffer and Kevin Coddington drew walks, then Rafael Garcia singled to load the bases.

Schaeffer scored on a wild pitch and, after Brandon Harwell was hit by a pitch, Andy Leonard drew a walk to force in the tying run. Jason Ganek drove in a run with an infield single, and two more runs came in on Steve McGuiggan’s squeeze bunt hit and throwing error by Valparaiso’s Andrew Quinnette.

Ganek had two hits and two RBIs for the Flames. Schaeffer doubled and singled, and McGuiggan finished with two hits. Mike Kool (6-4) pitched 71‚Ñ3 innings, allowing two earned runs.

Dan DeBruin, Brett Bivens. Zach Rodeghro and Josh Wallace all had two hits for Valparaiso (20-34), which will play today at 3 p.m. against the winner of Cleveland State and Wright State. UIC will play Wisconsin-Milwaukee today at 7 p.m.

UW-Milwaukee 20, Wright St. 3

Milwaukee scored one in the first, one in the fourth, five in the fifth, two in the sixth and 11 in the ninth inning to match its season-high run total this season.

UWM starter Andy Hetebrueg worked eight innings, striking out six, scattering nine hits and walking just for his sixth win on the year.

The Panthers three, four and five hitters combined to go 9-for-18 with 10 RBIs. Seven of those RBIs came from second baseman Jesse Hart. The UWM senior hit a grand slam in the ninth inning and finished 4-for-7 with five runs scored. Wright State plays Cleveland State today at 11 a.m., with the winner advancing to play Valparaiso at 3 p.m.