DAYTON — A four-run eighth inning propelled the Wright State baseball program to a 5-3 victory over UIC on Friday afternoon at Nischwitz Stadium. 

The Raiders improved to 15-17 on the season and 8-3 in Horizon League play, while UIC dropped 10-17 overall and 4-4 against conference opponents. With the series even 1-1, the teams will conclude the three-game set tomorrow at 1 p.m. 

The conference tilt was a pitchers' duel throughout, as the score was tied 1-1 after seven innings of play. However, WSU claimed its first lead of the game with four runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a two-run triple off the bat of Zane Harris. Pinch hitter Ryan Callahan scored on a wild pitch, while Jay Luikart belted a solo home run to push Wright State's edge to 5-1 in the frame. 

UIC rallied in the ninth with two runs on an RBI groundout and a bases-loaded walk, but Logan Tabeling cut the comeback short with a strikeout to end the game. 

Offensively, Luikart led the Raiders by going 3-for-4 at the plate with two homers and two runs batted in. He tied the game at 1-all with a solo roundtrip in the bottom of the fifth inning. Harris batted 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI, while Julian Greenwell singled twice. WSU also took advantage of four errors by the Flames' defense.

Starting pitcher Sebastian Gongora tossed a career-high 7.1 innings, allowing just one run on five hits and one walk while striking out four batters. Tristan Haught (1-1) earned the winning decision after inducing consecutive outs to keep the game tied 1-1 in the top of the eighth. 

Luikart was tagged for a run on a hit and three walks amid UIC's ninth-inning comeback. Tabeling earned his first save of the season by punching out the game's final batter with the bases loaded. 

UIC pitcher Nate Peterson (2-3) held the Raiders to two runs on five hits in 7.1 innings. WSU had most of its offensive success against relief pitcher Cristian Lopez, tagging the right-hander for three runs in two-thirds of an inning.