With the Willis Tower and the rest of the Chicago skyline overlooking the outfield, Northwestern took on UIC Tuesday night for the teams’ second meeting this season. 

In their last matchup, the Wildcats (13-27, 2-13 Big Ten) were torched by the Flames (28-13, 11-7 MVC), falling 18-5 in seven innings. Early April winds intensified NU’s pitching woes, but UIC’s explosive performances at-bat were the final nail in the Wildcats’ coffin.

This time around, coach Ben Greenspan’s squad made it a closer game but ultimately lost 3-2 to the Flames.

Tuesday was the same song to a different tune. A UIC first-inning run secured a quick lead, and a strong pitching rotation protected the hosts from the ’Cats’ offense.

With the Flames doubling their advantage in the fifth inning, a fielding error allowed UIC to fill the bases in the bottom of the sixth and score a run on a single by catcher Jackson Fisher. 

The hosts’ batting marathon was brought to an end by a double play from sophomore second baseman Owen McElfatrick, but not before NU’s deficit increased to three. 

Just when the handful of fans dressed in purple and white grew accustomed to strikeout after strikeout, senior third baseman Vince Bianchina homered over the right field wall to put the ’Cats on the board. 

With flood lights lighting up Curtis Granderson Stadium, NU seemed to have woken up. Freshman pitcher Garrett Shearer fanned consecutive Flames batters in the seventh inning to give Greenspan’s offense a chance to cut into the lead. 

McElfatrick continued to be a dual asset for the ’Cats during the top of the eighth, tallying his eighth homerun of the season and NU’s second unanswered score. 

With the visitors down one entering the top of the ninth, two walks and a clutch steal by Bianchina would bring the visitors a hit away from a tying score, but a strikeout left the ’Cats winless in their competition against UIC this season. 

Bursts of offensive activity in the seventh and eighth innings were electric but ultimately proved  too little, too late for NU.

The ’Cats will spend the rest of the week preparing for their upcoming weekend series against Iowa. 

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