CHICAGO – The UIC baseball team returns to the field for the first time in 345 days on Friday, Feb. 19, as UIC travels to Miami to take on Florida International in a three-game series to open the 2021 season.
 
The Flames and Panthers will play a three-game series spanning two days. The teams will begin the series on Friday, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. (ET), before capping the weekend with a doubleheader slated to begin at 2 p.m. local time. UIC is 0-4 all-time against the Panthers.
 
UIC newcomer Tanner Shears, a transfer from Modesto Junior College, will take the bump in the season premier. Jacob Key will have the ball to open game one of the doubleheader while Ryan O'Reilly will close out the twin-bill Saturday afternoon.
 
Head Coach Mike Dee's squad enters the season picked to finish second in the Horizon League, trailing rival Wright State for the top spot. The Flames welcome back the reigning 2019 Horizon League Pitcher of the Year, Jacob Key, to lead the rotation as well a number of starters from the 2019 squad that won the Horizon League Tournament to earn the team's sixth NCAA Regional berth.
 
UIC finished the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign 4-12 overall after battling through a grueling schedule to start the season. The Flames played 10 of their 16 games against Vanderbilt, Auburn and UC Santa Barbara, teams all featured inside the top-20 of this year's preseason polls. The Flames had a stellar performance at the Snowbird Classic, finishing 3-1 on the weekend with wins over St. Bonaventure, Georgetown and Army. Lefty Mark McCabe collected Horizon League Pitcher of the Week honors following a complete-game victory in the win over Army.