CHICAGO -- After opening the season with 13 consecutive nonconference games, UIC will begin Horizon League play at Curtis Granderson Stadium on Saturday, March 18, with a visit from the Youngstown State Penguins.
The three-game series between the Flames (7-6) and Penguins (2-11) was originally set to begin on Friday, however snow early in the week pushed the start back a day. Associate head coach
Sean McDermott chronicled the tremendous effort the Flames put in on Wednesday and Thursday of this week to get Les Miller Field back into shape:
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The first conference series of the weekend will now begin on Saturday, March 18 at 2:05 p.m. The Flames should be fresh for the fight against the Penguins as they have played only three games since March 7 and they have won all three games. UIC picked up a road win, its third of the season, with a 9-2 victory at Northwestern on March 7. The Flames scored in every inning of the contest which was shortened to seven frames because of darkness. The squad followed that up with the first shutout of the season, an eight-run triumph over Chicago State in the home opener on March 9. Then the Flames grabbed their fourth road win of the year, and second in a row, with a comeback at CSU on Sunday.
UIC will send the reigning Horizon League Pitcher of the Week
Jake Dahlberg to the bump. Dahlberg picked up his first win of the season in his last start, March 9 against Chicago State. The senior boasts a 1.54 earned-run average (ERA) in four starts this season. He surrendered only four earned runs in 23.1 innings of work while striking out 23 and walking only nine. The opposition is batting .171 against the southpaw with only three extra-base hits.
Dahlberg will be opposed in the opener by YSU's Collin Floyd. Floyd is 1-3 in four starts for the Penguins with a 9.19 ERA. A left-handed sophomore, Floyd has struck out 13 batters and walked 11 in 15.2 innings on the mound. Opponents are batting .366 against him this spring.
The series will conclude with a doubleheader beginning at 11:05 a.m. on Sunday, March 19. UIC head coach
Mike Dee will utilize a pair of right-handed hurlers on the mound Sunday in the form of fifth-year senior
Jack Andersen (0-1, 7.53 ERA) and sophomore
Reid Birlingmair (1-0, 3,80 ERA). The order is yet to be determined. Youngstown State will rely on Kevin Yarabinec in game one Sunday. He has a 4.85 ERA in seven outings for the Penguins, but will be making only his second start of the season Sunday.
A free audio broadcast of all three games in the series will be available exclusively on UICFlames.com. Live stats will also be available. Links to both are available in the blue box above. The Flames are offering FREE admission to all three games this weekend.
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