CHICAGO -- UIC will take a break from Horizon League play this weekend to host the Atlantic Coast Conference's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in a three-game series at Granderson Stadium. The Flames (29-9) and Yellow Jackets (20-20) will play a scheduled doubleheader on Friday, April 28 at 12:05 p.m. CT, before wrapping up the set on Saturday, April 29 at 1:05 p.m. CT.

When the series begins on Friday, the Flames will be attempting to become the fastest group in program history to reach 30 wins in a season. The 2002 squad, which finished with a school-record 39 wins, won for the 30^th time in the 41^st game of the season. UIC's 2003 team, which also won 39 games overall and secured the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament bid, picked up win No. 30 in game No. 44. This year's bunch owns 29 wins through 38 games after defeating Chicago State on Tuesday afternoon, 7-0. Under head coach Mike Dee, UIC has won at least 30 games nine different times, but has not done son since 2008.

More news and notes about the Flames as they head into the weekend can be found below:

PITCHING PROWESS

• The Flames rank fourth in the NCAA with an earned-run average of 2.66 through April 26.
• The lowest ERA in program history belongs to the 2003 staff, which finished that season with a mark of 3.19.
• The team WHIP (walks + hits per inning pitched) of 1.12 is second only to to top-ranked Oregon State (0.99).
• As a staff, UIC has pitched seven shutouts, including last time out vs. Chicago State (7-0). That number ranks the Flames sixth in the NCAA.
• The Flames own three of the top six qualifying ERA's in the Horizon League in all games, and four of the top nine.
• Jacob Key is third (1.84), Jake Dahlberg is fifth (2.32), Reid Birlingmair is sixth (2.87), and Jack Andersen is ninth (3.70).
• Reliever Alex Padilla boasts a 0.64 ERA (2 ER/28.0 IP) out of the bullpen and a team-high five saves. His K/9 IP ratio is 8.4 and his K/BB ratio is 3.7, best for anyone with min. 20.0 IP.

DEFENSIVE DANDIES

• UIC leads not only the Horizon League, but ranks first in the entire NCAA with a fielding percentage of .985 through April 26.
• Shortstop Cody Bohanek leads the Horizon League in assists with 135, while second baseman David Cronin ranks second with 130. The next closest player, YSU's Shane Willoughby, owns 112.
• The Flames boast a fielding percentage of .988 through 19 Horizon League games.
• The team's average of 1.13 double plays turned per contest ranks fifth in the NCAA at this time.
• The Flames have turned 43 double plays this season, the ninth-best total in the country.
• UIC has been charged with just 13 total errors in the last 29 games (0.4 per game) and is 25-4 in that span.

STREAKING ACROSS THE DIAMOND

• UIC has recorded three separate winning streaks of seven games or more this season.
• The Flames won a season-high nine games in a row between April 9-23. Four of those nine wins, including the final three came on the road.
• UIC scored an average of 10 runs per game during that span, while allowing only 2.6. The Flames batted .341 with 31 extra-base hits (3.4 per game) and the opposition batted .191 with 11 extra-base hits (1.2 per game).
• It was the program's longest winning streak since winning nine straight between May 9-23, 2008. UIC's last 10-game winning streak began on March 27, 2007, and ended on April 14 of that season.

LAUNCHING THE LONG BALL

• Six different UIC hitters, who are in at least their second season with the Flames, have set a career high in the home run category this spring.
• UIC's 34 team home runs are the most since clubbing 49 in 2010. That was the final season before the introduction of the Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR).
• Ricardo Ramirez leads the team and is tied for seventh in the Horizon League with eight home runs in 2017. It is the most since Jeff Boehm's 14 in 2015.
• Rob Calabrese ranks second on the squad with six home runs and his increase of +4 is the largest of anyone on the roster. Calabrese also leads the Flames and ranks second in the conference with 39 RBI.
• Cody Bohanek is tied for third with five home runs and has an increase of +3.
• The Flames are 18-2 when hitting at least one home run this season.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (UIC vs. GT)
Friday (Game 1): LHP Jake Dahlberg (7-1, 2.32 ERA) vs. RHP Xzavion Curry (4-4, 5.71 ERA)
Friday (Game 2): RHP Reid Birlingmair (5-2, 2.87 ERA) vs. RHP Keyton Gibson (1-2, 9.50 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Jack Andersen (3-1, 3.70 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Lee (5-5, 6.92 ERA)