UIC baseball preview
Here's a preview of Illinois-Chicago's baseball team, which will visit Vanderbilt from March 5-7.
2020 record/RPI: 4-12 (184)
2019 record/RPI: 29-23 (187)
Coach: Mike Dee (21 seasons, all at UIC, 619-495-2)
Rank in preseason polls: Not ranked
Rank in conference forecasts: 2nd (D1)
Last NCAA tournament appearance: 2019 (finished fourth in Louisville Regional)
2020 recap/2021 outlook
The Flames have become a respectable mid-major program under coach Mike Dee, who's been in charge since 1999. UIC has won the Horizon League 12 times under his direction and been to the NCAA tournament five times, though just two since 2008 (2017, 2019).
The Flames recovered from an 0-5 start to go 29-23 and finish second in the six-team conference in 2019, then, went 3-0 in the league tournament to secure an NCAA bid. Much of that team graduated for 2020, and the Flames lost their first 11 (four to Auburn, three to Vanderbilt and USCB and one to Northwestern) before winning four of five against weaker competition just before the pandemic hit.
UIC returns a lot of players that it wouldn't otherwise due to the extra year of eligibility that the NCAA provided stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The blueprint for success at UIC has been built on good defense and pitching, with some timely hitting thrown in. Expect the same from the Flames this season.
| Pos | Player, Cl. (B/T) |
|---|---|
|
C |
Joshua Figueroa, R-Sr. (R/R) .250/.298/.532, 3 HR, 9 RBI .294/353/.406 in 170 ABs in 2019 |
|
1B |
Cory Moore, Sr. (L/L) .129/.270/.226, 0 HR, 2 RBI .246/.325/.385, 2 HR, 16 RBI at Cypress College in 2019 |
|
2B |
Matt Bottcher, Gr. (L/R) .254/.302/.322, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 6-8 SB .279/.356/.322, 0 HR, 10 RBI in '19 |
|
3B |
Thomas Norton, Gr. (R/R) .121/.215/.207, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1-1 SB .259/.376/.321, 2 HR, 19 RBI in 2018 |
|
SS |
Ryan Lin-Piestrup, Sr. (R.R) .204/.328/.224, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 2-4 SB .282/.367/.389, 1 HR, 28 RBI in 149 AB in 2019 |
|
LF |
Brett Tressen, Sr. (R/R) .158/.273/.158, 0 HR, 0 RBI .378/.485./.578, 7 HR, 39 RBI at Ohlone College in '19 |
|
CF |
Garrett McCarthy, Sr. (R/R) .222/.364/.259, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1-1 SB .297/.405/.406 at Mission College in '19 |
|
RF |
Thomas Smart, Gr. (R/R) .152/.316/.196, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 3-4 SB .266/.369/.373, 2 HR, 14 RBI in 2019 |
|
DH |
Sean Dee, R-Jr. (R/R) .195/.313/.220, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1-2 SB .208/347/.287, 0 HR, 17 RBI in 101 AB in 2019 |
|
Res |
Brandon Gelpi, Fr. (R/R) Pittsburgh prep star could start in OF immediately |
|
Res |
Alex Dee, Gr. (R/R) .094/.121/.219, 1 HR, 2 RBI Hit .216/.301/.328, 2 HR, 14 RBI in 134 AB in 2019 |
|
Res |
Bobby Grimes, So. (R/R) C/OF hit .371 with 3 HR, 30 RBI, 12 BB at Triton College in '19 |
UIC averaged just 3.1 runs last season while hitting .187/.285/.261 as a team. The Flames also played a brutal schedule a year ago and never got to the conference portion of the slate.
There's also cause for optimism because six likely regulars on this team started at least 32 games in 2019. That doesn't include Thomas Norton, who took a medical redshirt in 2019 after starting 47 games at third in 2018.
Those upperclassmen all figure to start, though left and center field are still both up for grabs heading into the season. Freshman outfielder Brandon Gelpi may have the best chance of the newcomers to break into the lineup quickly.
Catcher Josh Figueroa, who had three of the team's five homers a year ago, is probably the team's best hitter.
The Flames figure to be solid defensive. Second baseman Matt Bottcher fielded .961 last year, while shortstop Ryan Lin-Piestrup fielded .946 and participated in 25 double plays in 184 chances in 2019. Behind the plate, Figueroa had just one error last season in 13 games (12 starts), while center fielder Garrett McCarthy had 13 putouts and two assists without an error last season.
| Role | Player, Cl. (B/T) |
|---|---|
|
SP1 |
Jacob Key, Gr. (R/R) 1-2, 5.68 ERA, 25.1 IP, 15 K, 8 BB 7-8, 3.75 ERA, 105.2 IP, 90 K, 25 BB in 2019 Was the Horizon Pitcher of the Year in 2019. |
|
SP2 |
Cristian Lopez, Sr. (R/R) 1-0, 3.46 ERA, 13 IP, 12 K, 4 BB 4.99 ERA, 52.1 IP, 58 K, 30 BB at Cypress College in '19 |
|
SP3 |
Mark McCabe, Jr. (L/L) 2-2, 4.58 ERA, 19.2 IP, 13 K, 9 BB 0-0, 1 SV, 1.33 ERA, 20.1 IP, 10 K, 6 BB in 2019 Could also be a midweek starter. |
|
Cl |
Joey Morris, Sr. (R.R) 0-1, 2 SV, 3.68 ERA, 7.1 IP, 5 K, 0 BB 0-1, 1 SV, 7.54 ERA, 22.2 IP, 20 K at San Joaquin Delta in '19 |
|
RP |
Fred Gosbeth, Gr. (R.R) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 IP, 15 K, 6 BB 5-1, 36.2 IP, 16 K, 10 BB in 2019 |
|
RP |
Bobby Nicholson, R-Sr. (R/R) 0-3, 12,60 ERA, 10 IP, 7 K, 14 BB 2-2, 5.40 ERA, 40 IP, 34 K at UVA in 2018 |
|
RP |
Teague Conrad, So (R/R) 0-0, 9.61 ERA, 9.1 IP, 8 K, 3 BB |
|
RP |
Ryan O'Reilly, Gr. (R/R) 0-0, 18.00 ERA, 6 IP, 4 K, 11 BB 1-0, 4.10 ERA, 26.1 IP, 19 K, 13 BB |
The Flames struggled on the hill last season, notching a 7.22 ERA (and allowing another 15 unearned runs) against a challenging schedule.
The good news: UIC returns a number of arms with a track record of success at some point in their careers.
Jacob Key is the unquestioned ace of the staff. Key, who pitched at Murfreesboro's Siegel High, has logged 231 1/3 career innings with a 3.46 ERA, 193 strikeouts and 83 walks.
Behind Key, things are less certain. Cristian Lopez should have a spot in the weekend rotation and Mark McCabe likely has the edge on the third spot. McCabe started twice (and threw a complete game against St. Bonaventure) last year while Lopez went six scoreless innings in his only start (Army).
Bobby Nicholson could be a wild card. He was a weekend starter at Virginia for a spell in 2018, but seemed to fall out of favor in Charlottesville.
Sam Menegat should pitch out of the bullpen as well. Menegat struck out 26 in 26 2/3 innings for UIC in 2019 and had a 2.70 ERA.