CHICAGO – Off to a 3-0 start in Horizon League play for the first time since 2011, UIC will look to continue its winning ways when it welcomes Valparaiso for a three-game series beginning on Friday, March 24.
 
Originally slated to begin at 4:05 p.m. CT, Friday's single game has been adjusted to a doubleheader that will commence at 12:05 p.m. Game two will begin approximately 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest. The third game of the series will be played on either Saturday or Sunday at 1:05 p.m., dependent upon the weekend forecast.
 
Senior standout Jake Dahlberg will take the ball to begin game one for the Flames (11-6, 3-0 Horizon League). The lefty is 2-1 with a 1.19 earned-run average (ERA) in five starts this spring. Dahlberg has struck out 25, walked only 11, and opponents are batting a paltry .157 against him. In his last two outings, both at Granderson Stadium, the Vancouver, Wash., native has not allowed a run while scattering only three hits in 13.0 innings of work. In those two wins, Chicago State and Youngstown State batted .071 against him.
 
Sophomore Reid Birlingmair is expected to get the nod to start game two. The Normal, Ill., native is coming off one of the top performances in his young career against YSU last Sunday. He threw a career-high 8.0 scoreless frames, allowing three hits and walking only one. Birlingmair struck out four Penguins as he helped UIC to a 3-0 victory. Overall, he is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in five starts for the Flames. The right-handed hurler leads the team in innings pitched (31.2) and strikeouts (31). He has also walked only eight batters.

UIC's entire pitching staff has been dominant during the squad's seven-game winning streak. The Flames have given up just eight earned runs in 64.0 innings of work since March 7 for an eye-popping ERA of 1.12. The pitchers have surrendered only three extra-base hits over the last seven games and opponents (Northwestern, Chicago State and Youngstown State) have mustered a batting average of .183.
 
On the flip side, the offense has been clicking at the right times. UIC is batting .301 as a team with five individuals at .310 or better during the winning streak. Cody Bohanek and David Cronin have 10 hits apiece since March 7 and Bohanek is batting a team-high .385 with seven RBI, including three in the win at Northwestern. Sophomore Scott Ota has driven in eight runs during the recent surge and a team-high 15 on the season.
 
The Crusaders (7-11, 0-3 Horizon League) come to Granderson Stadium coming off a big win at Chicago State on Tuesday afternoon. Valpo opened Horizon League play at Wright State last weekend with the Raiders claiming wins in all three games. The Crusaders rank third in the conference with a 3.46 ERA and fourth with a batting average of .246.
 
Probable Pitching Matchups (UIC vs. Valpo):
Game 1: LHP Jake Dahlberg (2-1, 1.19 ERA) vs. RHP Mario Losi (0-2, 3.81 ERA)
Game 2: RHP Reid Birlingmair (2-0, 2.84 ERA) vs. RHP Wes Gordon (0-3, 5.62 ERA)
Game 3: RHP Jack Andersen (0-1, 5.23 ERA) vs. TBA