SIU's Run Ends with 7-2 loss to UIC in MVC Championship

Sunday, May 24

Murray, Ky.

4 PM

Southern Illinois University

UIC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Ill.	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	2
Ill.-Chicago	1	0	0	1	0	2	0	3	X	7	10	1

Kaleb Hall (11) helps up teammate Michael Mylott (16) after Mylott scored on a double and an error during Southern Illinois' 7-2 loss to UIC Sunday, May 24, 2026, at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray, Ky.

Photo by: Zuzanna Gaik

05/24/2026 | 11:19:00 | Baseball

Box Score Tournament Central

By: Jordan Kruse, SIUSalukis.com

MURRAY, Ky. - Southern Illinois Baseball's magical run in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament ended Sunday with a 7-2 loss to the UIC Flames at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray, Ky. Originally scheduled for 1 p.m., the game was delayed for three hours before first pitch.

Following the delay, UIC's Thomas Curry continued to be a thorn in Southern's side in both games between the teams, and helped the Flames strike first with a solo home run in the bottom of the first.

Michael Mylott continued his scorching end to the season with a little league home run to tie the game in the second. The Aurora, Ohio, native drove a ball down the right-field line, and UIC's Alexander Wright cut the ball off, but slid on a puddle in the right field corner to allow Mylott to reach second. Second baseman Jake Busson thought he could get Mylott at second, but his rushed throw sailed up the third-base line, and Mylott's hustle helped him score on the wild play.

Kristian Sprawling put Southern ahead for the first time with a towering solo home run in the third, his sixth of the season.

UIC evened the matchup at two with back-to-back hits in the fourth.

Starting pitcher Andrew Evans gave Southern all he had left on Sunday, throwing a solid five innings to keep his team in the game.

The Flames retook the lead on an RBI groundout and an error in the sixth.

Southern's offense had chances to add on, but ill-timed double plays quashed any chance at a rally.

Ashton Kampa's three-run homer in the eighth all but iced the game for UIC, which retired the Salukis in order in the ninth to clinch its first Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and its first berth in the NCAA Tournament since 2019.

Dylan Petrey (L, 4-3) took the loss for Southern.

After the game, four Salukis – Andrew Evans, Meade Johnson, Michael Mylott and Tim Simay – were named to the All-Tournament Team.

The 7-2 loss concludes the season for Southern, who capped their 2026 campaign with an electric run in the MVC Tournament, winning four of its six games played. Head Coach Lance Rhodes begins offseason recruiting and preparations for the 2027 season.

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