INDIANAPOLIS – For the sixth consecutive week a member of the UIC Flames has earned a Horizon League Player of the Week award as Dominic Smith became the latest member of the squad to join the group by earning Batter of the Week accolades, the conference announced Monday, March 26.
 
Smith helped the Flames capture their second consecutive Horizon League series, taking two-of-three from the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at Granderson Stadium over the weekend. He produced a slash line of .444/.500/.889 for UIC, while leading the Flames in hits (4), extra-base hits (2) and RBI (6).
 
During the first game of the set against Oakland, Smith set the tone in the bottom of the fourth inning when he blasted a two-run double off the wall in left field with two outs to give the Flames a 3-0 lead. The Golden Grizzlies would come back to tie the game in the top of the eighth, but in the bottom half, Smith delivered once again. His RBI single into right field plated pinch runner Trey Beckman and produced the game-winning run in a 4-3 UIC victory.
 
Smith stayed hot in the nightcap Friday. With a run in and two teammates aboard in the bottom of the second inning, the junior clubbed a three-run home run deep to the left-field bullpens to give the Flames an early 4-0 edge. UIC, behind another sensational start from Reid Birlingmair, would go to win the series-clinching game, 8-1.
 
A native of Brentwood, Calif., Smith has been UIC's top hitter in six Horizon League games. He's batting .389/.429/.667 against conference foes with a team-high seven hits and eight RBI. He has three extra-base hits and a sacrifice fly, while helping the Flames win four of their first six conference contests.
 
Smith is the sixth different UIC player to earn one of eight weekly recognitions from the League in six weeks this season. Between Ryan Campbell, Red Birlingmair and Charlie Cerny, the Flames had the Pitcher of the Week in each of the season's first four weeks.  Scott Ota has twice been named Batter of the Week (Feb. 19 and March 5) and Alex Dee was recognized last Monday.
 
UIC will wrap up a season-long 11-game homestand on Tuesday, March 27, when Northern Illinois visits Chicago at 4:05 p.m. The Flames downed the Huskies earlier on the homestand, 18-3, on March 14. Smith drove in three and hit his first home run for UIC in the victory.
 
Later in the week, UIC will travel to play a three-game series at Youngstown State, March 29-31.