CHICAGO -- UIC has played only one of its first 11 games in 2018 at Granderson Stadium, but that will change soon as the Flames open up a season-long 12-game homestand with a three-game series against crosstown rival Chicago State on Friday, March 9 at 4:05 p.m. CT.

After winning the home opener against Roosevelt, 4-3, on Feb. 27, UIC (7-4) went on the road and faced ACC foe Georgia Tech last weekend. The Flames dropped a couple of tight games to open the series before erupting for 12 runs in the series finale on March 4, including six in the ninth inning alone, to top the Yellow Jackets, 12-5, and get back into the win column.

Two of last week's standouts, juniors Charlie Cerny and Scott Ota, were named Horizon League Players of the Week on Monday, March 5. Cerny earned Pitcher of the Week plaudits after tossing 4.0 scoreless innings across two relief appearances. He struck out five and surrendered just one hit in two UIC victories. Ota continued to swing one of the nation's hottest bats. He hit .471/.444/.706 and led the team in hits (8), extra-base hits (2), RBI (5) and total bases (12) for the third consecutive week.

All three games against the Cougars, and every game at Granderson Stadium, will be streamed on ESPN3. Please visit the schedule page on UICFlames.com for direct links to help catch every pitch. More statistics, news and notes about the Flames can be found in the UIC Game Notes (PDF) that is linked in the blue box.

RED-HOT SCOTT

• UIC junior Scott Ota owns a line of .489/.500/.778 through 11 games. His batting average ranks seventh in the NCAA entering the weekend.
• He owns 22 hits on the season, ranking 19^th nationally, while pacing the Flames with 14 RBI.
• Ota also ranks in the top 50 nationally in slugging percentage (44^th;.778), total bases (46^th; 35) and sacrifice flies (46^th; 2).
• The Foster City, Calif., native had a career-high four hits with two doubles at UTRGV on Feb. 24. He leads UIC with eight multi-hit games and six multi-RBI efforts.
• The right fielder earned Horizon League Batter of the Week honors for the second time in three weeks on March 5. He batted .471 in four games and led UIC in hits (8), RBI (5) and total bases (12) for the third consecutive week.
• Ota was named Horizon League Batter of the Week on Feb. 19 after batting .429 and slugging .857 at the Andre Dawson Classic.

CHUCKING IT

• UIC junior Charlie Cerny was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week on March 5. He allowed one hit over 4.0 IP through two scoreless appearances, both in games won by the Flames,  against Roosevelt and Georgia Tech.
• The junior ranks 35^th in the NCAA with 13.86 strikeouts per nine innings and he is one of only 16 qualifying pitchers nationwide who has not surrendered a walk this season.
• He leads the Flames and is tied for 33^rd nationally with seven appearances, while striking out 19 hitters in 12.1 IP without issuing a base on balls.
• He has a 0.73 ERA, which ranks 59^th nationally, allowing one earned run to date (Feb. 16 at New Orleans).

SACRIFICIAL FLAMES

• Not only is UIC exhibiting a bit of pop in the early going, but it has also shown the ability to manufacture a run when necessary. The Flames lead the Horizon League and rank 20^th in the NCAA with 10 sacrifice bunts through 11 games.
• UIC freshman Ryan Lin-Peistrup is eighth in the NCAA with four sacrifice bunts, nearly half the team's total entering the weekend. He is 15^th nationally with 0.36 sacrifice bunts per game.
• Five other Flames - Scott Ota, Derrick Patrick, David Becker, Dominic Smith and Matt Bottcher -  have at least one sacrifice bunt.
• UIC is first in the Horizon League, and 21^st nationally, with eight sacrifice flies. Ota (2), Becker, Lin-Peistrup, Smith, Bowen Ogata, Aaron Ackerman and Dylan Gilbert have each driven in a run via the sac fly this season.

SOUP'S ON

• After coming out of the bullpen in 14 of his 16 appearances in 2017, senior Ryan Campbell has shifted to the starting rotation on a full-time basis.
• Campbell began the season by throwing 17.0 consecutive scoreless innings. He allowed three runs in the fourth inning of his third start at Georgia Tech, but ended up throwing his first career complete game with 8.0 innings vs. GT.
• In his second start at UTRGV on Feb. 24, Campbell went 7.0 scoreless once again, this time with a career-high eight strikeouts.
• On Feb. 16, Campbell stifled Southern over 7.0 shutout innings, allowing just three hits with five strikeouts. For that effort he was named Horizon League Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 19.
• Opponents are batting .189 against the Carmel, Ind., native, which is the second-lowest mark for any member of the Flames staff (Braeden Toikka - .182), and the 10^th-best in the Horizon League.
• Campbell and teammate Joey Fredrickson are tied for the conference lead with two wins apiece on the mound (WSU's Jeremy Randolph - 2).

PITCHING PROBABLES (UIC vs. Chicago State)

• Friday, March 9: RHP Reid Birlingmair (1-1, 3.57 ERA) vs. RHP Dylan Cumming (1-0, 3.48 ERA)
• Saturday, March 10: RHP Ryan Campbell (2-1, 1.23 ERA) vs. LHP Grant Trower (0-2, 10.38 ERA)
• Sunday, March 11: RHP Jacob Key (1-1, 3.50 ERA) vs. LHP Zach Thomas (1-2, 3.06 ERA)