CHICAGO -- UIC played its first 11 games of the 2017 season away from home, but that changes Thursday afternoon when the Flames take Les Miller Field at Curtis Granderson Stadium to play the Chicago State Cougars at 3:05 p.m.

The home opener will be played one day earlier than previously announced. UIC head coach Mike Dee explained on Tuesday that the start of the series is being shifted because of the cold air forecasted for Chicago this weekend. The second day of the series is tentatively scheduled be played at Chicago State's Cougar Stadium on Sunday. More information will be available as the weekend progresses.

The Flames (5-6) will send senior Jake Dahlberg to the mound for his fourth start of the season. The lefty is 0-1 with a 2.08 earned-run average as he's allowed only four earned runs in 17.1 innings of work. The Vancouver, Wash., native has punched out 17 hitters, while walking only seven. In three previous outings against Prairie View A&M, seventh-ranked Vanderbilt and Missouri, the opposition has batted .203 with only three extra-base hits against Dahlberg.

Chicago State (3-7) will counter on the mound with its own senior southpaw, Jake Perkins. He is 1-1 with a sparkling ERA of 1.42. Perkins has allowed three earned runs in a team-best 18.0 innings of work for the Cougars.

CLAWING PAST THE 'CATS
UIC visited Northwestern on Tuesday and the Flames scored in every inning of the seven-inning contest (darkness) to collect a 9-2 win. It was the third time scoring at least nine runs in a game, and UIC's largest margin of victory this season. Catcher Rob Calabrese tallied a season-high three hits, including two doubles, as he drove in three. Freshman Jacob Key turned in a quality start by allowing just two earned runs over 6.0 innings on the bump. He struck out five and collected his team-high second win of the season. UIC is 4-0 against Northwestern since the start of the 2016 season. The Flames own a run differential of +24 in that span.

FLAMES DIG THE LONG BALL
UIC has hit at least one home run in six of 11 games this season and combined total of four in the last two games. The Flames hit a season-high three home runs at Missouri on March 5. Cody Bohanek hit his first homer of the season in that game, while Scott Ota and Bowen Ogata went back-to-back in the top of the sixth, each hitting his second round-trip shot of the year.Ricardo Ramirez has launched a team-high three home runs, including one in UIC's last game at Northwestern. The senior paced the squad with six homers in 2016.
 
CRONIN CAN RAKE
After batting a team-best .360 as a redshirt sophomore last season, David Cronin is pacing the club with a batting average of .381 through 11 games this year. He has a team-best 16 hits through 11 games and has secured three hits on three occasions to lead the Flames.The Orland  Park, Ill., native also makes it happen on the base paths as he's swiped a team-high four bags this spring.

NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Recruited as an infielder, freshman Matt Bottcher has started the first 11 games in left field and he ranks fourth on the team with six RBI. Jacob Key, another freshman, has made four appearances on the mound with two starts. The right-handed pitcher has allowed only four earned runs in 17.1 innings of work (2.08 ERA).

RYAN EARNS HORIZON LEAGUE RECOGNITION
Senior right-handed pitcher Connor Ryan was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 27. He earned a win and save in two UIC victories with five strikeouts in 3.1 innings over two appearances at No. 7 Vanderbilt.

DOWN GO THE 'DORES
UIC took two-of-three from No. 7 Vanderbilt in Nashville, Feb. 24-26. 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.