CHICAGO -- UIC will look to remain unbeaten in midweek games at Granderson Stadium this spring when the Flames welcome the Northern Illinois Huskies to the ballpark on Tuesday, March 26 at 3:05 p.m. Please note that is one hour earlier than the previous scheduled start time.

The Flames (7-11) have won seven times on the diamond this season and six of those victories have come at their home ballpark. UIC had ripped off five consecutive home wins between March 12 and March 22 before Wright State took both ends of a doubleheader to close an Horizon League series on Saturday afternoon. The Flames are hitting more than 100 points higher at home this spring with a team batting average of .286. In nine home games the squad has scored 40 times (4.4 runs per game), but in nine road games the Flames are averaging 2.7 runs per game (24). Scott Ota has been one of the most consistent performers at the plate at home for UIC with a slash line of .367/.513/.633. Those numbers lead all three categories. The senior with 164 career starts to his credit has four extra-base hits, four RBI and six runs scored at home in 2019. He's walked eight times and struck out only three times. Ota batted .500 with a team-high six hits in the three-game series against Wright State over the weekend.

On the mound, UIC has been a better bunch at home as well. The team boasts a 2.36 ERA at Granderson Stadium and has allowed only 21 earned runs in 80 innings of work. Opponents are batting .220 against the Flames in Chicago, and .077 against Tuesday's probable starter, left-hander Braeden Toikka (1-2, 6.00 ERA). In his last outing at Illinois State on March 19, the senior allowed three runs on five hits over 5.0 IP with one walk and one strikeout.

Northern Illinois (7-16) will make the short trip from DeKalb on the heels of a three-game winning streak. The Huskies opened Mid-American Conference (MAC) play with a three-game sweep of Eastern Michigan at home over the weekend. NIU is batting .238 as a squad this spring and the team averages 4.6 runs per game. One of four players to start all 23 games, Jake Dunham leads the Huskies with a .308 batting average. The catcher also paces the Huskies in hits (24), RBI (17) and total bases (33). He's tied for the team lead in home runs (2) and doubles (3).

NIU is scheduled to send right-handed starter Ryan Anderson to the bump. The Palatine, Ill., native has appeared in six games, but has not made a start this spring. He has a 5.14 ERA in 7.0 IP and opponents are batting .406 against him with five extra-base hits. He last appeared in NIU's 10-8 loss at Chicago State on March 19.

Tuesday's game will be available on ESPN+. Jonathan Hood will be in the booth calling all the action.