CHICAGO -- UIC will take on an opponent from the Southeastern Conference for the second time in as many weeks when it travels to Columbia, Mo., for a three-game series against the Missouri Tigers. The set begins Friday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. before continuing with single games on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

The Flames (4-3) and Tigers (7-1) are no strangers to one another as they will meet on the diamond for the fourth consecutive season and the fifth time since 2011. UIC claimed one game in the four-game series at Taylor Stadium last season, winning the first game of a doubleheader 4-2 on March. Jake Dahlberg notched the victory after surrendering only two runs over 7.0 innings on the mound. Noah Masa threw two scoreless innings to collect his first career save. Scott Ota drove in two runs for the Flames.

UIC is coming off a terrific weekend against another SEC program in Nashville, where it won twice in extra innings during a three-game series at No. 7 Vanderbilt. The Flames won 5-3 in the series opener on Friday before coming from behind once again to secure a 5-2 triumph in 11 innings on Sunday afternoon.

Mizzou has won seven games in a row, and is off to its best start since beginning the 2015 campaign with a mark of 10-1. The Tigers also have a win against a top-25 team to their credit as they took down No. 25 Houston, 4-2, in the opener of last weekend's Kleberg Bank College Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas.

DOWN GO THE 'DORES
UIC took two-of-three from No. 7 Vanderbilt in Nashville last weekend. By winning 5-3 in 10 innings in the series opener, the Flames defeated their first ranked opponent since knocking off No. 24 Texas A&M on Feb. 13, 2013. It was the first time UIC won a series on the road against a ranked opponent since March 2-4, 2007, when the Flames won the first two games of a three-game set at No. 19 Tennessee. That UIC team won 35 games and an Horizon League championship.

RYAN RECOGNIZED BY HORIZON LEAGUE
Senior RHP Connor Ryan was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week on Monday, Feb. 27, following his effort against No. 7 Vanderbilt. The Homer Glen, Ill., native collected the win and four strikeouts in 2.1 innings in the series opener on Feb. 24. He struck out the side in the bottom of the 10^th to preserve a two-run lead. Ryan entered the game on Feb. 26 with a three-run lead and he added two more strikeouts in the bottom of the 11^th to nail down his first career save. He made 12 of 18 appearances as a starter in 2016 and ranked among the Horizon League leaders in both ERA (3.78) and opp. avg. (.253).

FLAMES DIG THE LONG BALL
UIC has hit at least one home run in four of the last five games, and the Flames won each of the games when a player went deep. The team has homered twice on three occasions this season, most recently in an extra-inning win at No. 7 Vanderbilt on Feb. 26.Six different players have hit a home run this season, while senior Ricardo Ramirez leads the squad with two. He also led the team with six home runs in 2016.
 
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Recruited as an infielder, freshman Matt Bottcher has started the first seven games in left field and he leads the team with five RBI so far. Jacob Key, another freshman, has made three appearances on the mound with one start. The right-handed pitcher has allowed only two earned runs in 11.1 innings of work (1.59 ERA). Junior transfer Bowen Ogata had his biggest game of the season in UIC's series-clinching win at No. 7 Vanderbilt on Feb. 26. The Boise, Idaho, native had three hits, including his first home run as a Flame, and drove in two runs against the Commodores. Redshirt sophomore Alex Padilla picked up his first career win at No. 7 Vanderbilt on Feb. 26. Overall, the Chicago, native has made three appearances and thrown 4.0 innings on the bump.

UIC TABBED SECOND IN HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
UIC was selected to finish second in the Horizon League in a poll of the conference's seven head coaches. Defending champion Wright State was chosen at the top of the list. The Flames last won a Horizon League regular season title in 2015.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday: 6:30 p.m.  
    LHP Jake Dahlberg (0-0, 1.50) vs.
    RHP Tanner Houck (0-1, 7.20)

Saturday: 2:00 p.m.  
    RHP Jack Andersen (0-1, 7.71) vs.
    LHP Michael Plassmeyer (2-0, 1.64)

Sunday: 1:00 p.m.
    RHP Reid Birlingmair (1-0, 1.46) vs.
    RHP Andy Toelken (1-0, 1.93)