Friday, February 20
Huntsville
6:30 PM
3-2
0
vs
2
UIC
2-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UIC
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
0
Sam Houston
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
3
Peterson shines, but bats go cold in home opener
2/20/2026 10:42:00 PM | Baseball
HUNTSVILLE – Ryan Peterson tied a career high with 10 strikeouts, but the effort was not enough as the UIC Flames shut out Sam Houston, 2-0, in the opener of a 3-game series on Friday night at Don Sanders Stadium.
Peterson was stellar in his second start of the season but still took the hard-luck loss for the Kats (3-2) despite allowing just two runs – one earned – in 7.0 frames of work. The righty allowed just a bunt single and a bloop double in that time, but the Flames (2-3) were able to scrape across a pair of runs in the third inning and their arms made that hold up with 14 total strikeouts of their own.
UIC starter Mason Lei was nearly untouchable in his own right, earning the win after striking out 10 Bearkats in 6.1 shutout innings. He allowed four hits but no free passes until back-to-back walks in the seventh, prompting the Flames to finally go to the pen.
Reliever Mark Eddie followed with 1.1 frames of bridge relief before Zack Milsap earned his second save in as many tries this year, working out of a ninth-inning jam to secure the win.
The Bearkats out-hit the Flames by a 6-3 margin but were unable to get the big hit they were looking for throughout the night. The big play of the game came in the seventh when UIC's Vidal Colon robbed Wes Baker of extra bases with a diving grab in the right-field corner and doubled off Cade Corcoran at second base to end a Bearkat threat.
Sam Houston put pressure on the Flames again in the ninth, getting runners on second and third with just one out after a single to Nathan Fink, a walk to Corcoran and a wild pitch; however, Millsap was able to leave the runners there as he retired both Jace Martinez and Baker for the game's final two outs.
Jeric Curtis was the lone Kat with multiple hits, finishing with a single and a double, while freshman reliever Cooper Harris shined in 2.0 innings of relief with three strikeouts and no free passes.
UP NEXT
The Bearkats will attempt to even the series with the Flames on Saturday afternoon at The Don. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. with right-hander Tyler Ryden slated to go for SHSU. He is scheduled to be opposed by UIC lefty Brandon Bak.
Peterson was stellar in his second start of the season but still took the hard-luck loss for the Kats (3-2) despite allowing just two runs – one earned – in 7.0 frames of work. The righty allowed just a bunt single and a bloop double in that time, but the Flames (2-3) were able to scrape across a pair of runs in the third inning and their arms made that hold up with 14 total strikeouts of their own.
UIC starter Mason Lei was nearly untouchable in his own right, earning the win after striking out 10 Bearkats in 6.1 shutout innings. He allowed four hits but no free passes until back-to-back walks in the seventh, prompting the Flames to finally go to the pen.
Reliever Mark Eddie followed with 1.1 frames of bridge relief before Zack Milsap earned his second save in as many tries this year, working out of a ninth-inning jam to secure the win.
The Bearkats out-hit the Flames by a 6-3 margin but were unable to get the big hit they were looking for throughout the night. The big play of the game came in the seventh when UIC's Vidal Colon robbed Wes Baker of extra bases with a diving grab in the right-field corner and doubled off Cade Corcoran at second base to end a Bearkat threat.
Sam Houston put pressure on the Flames again in the ninth, getting runners on second and third with just one out after a single to Nathan Fink, a walk to Corcoran and a wild pitch; however, Millsap was able to leave the runners there as he retired both Jace Martinez and Baker for the game's final two outs.
Jeric Curtis was the lone Kat with multiple hits, finishing with a single and a double, while freshman reliever Cooper Harris shined in 2.0 innings of relief with three strikeouts and no free passes.
UP NEXT
The Bearkats will attempt to even the series with the Flames on Saturday afternoon at The Don. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. with right-hander Tyler Ryden slated to go for SHSU. He is scheduled to be opposed by UIC lefty Brandon Bak.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mason Lei (1-1)
L: Peterson, Ryan (0-1)
S: Zack Millsap (2)
Batting:
2B: Ashton Kampa 1 ; Will Flanigan 1
RBI: Will Smoot 1 ; Ashton Kampa 1
SH: Colin Husko 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sean Cody 1 ; Lucas Smith 1
SB: Thomas Curry 1
Batting:
2B: Curtis, Jeric 1 ; Bazmore, Sean 1
Base Running:
SB: Cotton, Caleb 1
CS: Alvord, Hunter 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
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RHP
/ Baseball
IF
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RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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