»RELATED: WSU blasts NKU to open HL tourney
They added four more runs off WSU reliever Tyler Luneke to earn a spot in the championship game Saturday at Nischwitz Stadium.
Wright State, the top seed and defending champions, dropped into an elimination game against No. 3 seed Milwaukee later Friday.
The winner of that one will take on the Flames at noon Saturday needing to win a pair of games to claim the conference tournament title and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Luneke took the loss after allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings while Alex Padilla got the win for UIC. Padilla pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings, striking out two and walking one.
The Raiders fell behind 3-0 but came back to take the lead on Peyton Burdick’s 3-run homer in the bottom of the third. That came after Chase Slone scored on a sacrifice fly by Damon Dues.
The Flames answered with a three-run fifth to go up 6-4, but Burdick scored in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game.
Seth Gray singled him in the first time and tripled him home the second time.
Bradley Brehmer started the game for Wright State and allowed five runs (four earned) in four innings.
Joey Fredrickson started for UIC and also allowed five runs (four earned) while going six innings.
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