In 2008, the UIC Flames baseball team won the Horizon League championship, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Flames, led by head coach Mike Dee, entered the tournament as a #4 seed in the Ann Arbor Regional.

In the first round of the tournament, the Flames faced off against the #1 seeded University of Michigan Wolverines. The Flames pulled off a stunning upset, defeating the Wolverines 5-4 in 10 innings. UIC pitcher Jacob Petricka pitched 8 1/3 innings, striking out six batters and allowing only one earned run. The Flames offense was led by catcher Aaron Ackerman, who hit a game-winning solo home run in the top of the 10th inning.

In the second round, the Flames faced the #2 seeded University of Arizona Wildcats. Despite a valiant effort, UIC ultimately fell to Arizona 7-6. The Flames finished the season with a 34-22 record, setting a school record for conference wins in a season.

The 2008 Horizon League championship was the eighth in UIC’s history, and the second under head coach Mike Dee. The team’s success helped to raise the profile of UIC athletics and brought national attention to the Flames baseball program.