Baseball Edged By Chicago State, 4-3

CHICAGO – While University at Albany junior southpaw Brendan Ryan tossed complete-game gem, the Great Danes' baseball team suffered a 4-3 loss to the hosting Chicago State Cougars Friday evening. With the defeat, UAlbany is now 1-6 on the season, while Chicago State improved to 4-12 overall.

Ryan (1-2) threw all eight frames, allowing two earned runs and just four hits, while striking out three.

Offensively, UAlbany recorded six hits led by Matt Hinchy's 2-for-4 performance with an RBI and a run scored.

Chicago State took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third, as the Cougars knocked back-to-back singles before a pair of errors led to three runs (two unearned).

UAlbany cut the margin to two in the fifth on freshman John Banes' solo home run, marking the first of his career.

In the sixth, the Great Danes evened the score, as sophomore Eric Mueller led off with a single to left and Hinchy followed with an RBI double to left-center. With runners on the corners, designated hitter Adam Mund brought in Hinchy from third with a sac fly to left, making the score 3-3.

However, in the eighth, Chicago State's Jared Patterson led off with a single to left field and Chase Matheson lined a two-out single to left, plating the go-ahead run.

That would be the final run of the game, as Cougar reliever Jerry Silva sat the Danes down in order in the ninth.

Silva (1-0) earned the win, throwing 2.2 perfect innings out of the pen.

UAlbany and Chicago State continue their three-game series Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.