CHICAGO -- The UIC baseball makes its 2022 Granderson Stadium debut this weekend as the Flames play host to Northern Kentucky in a three-game series. This weekend's trio of contests marks the opening weekend of Horizon League action across the League.

FIRST PITCH
• UIC makes it home debut after spending the first month of the season, 13 games in total, on the road.
• The Flames' defense has been stellar all year, ranking first in the Horizon League with a .974 fielding percentage. 

SMALL BALL
• UIC is one of the best teams in the Horizon League in manufacturing runs, as the Flames rank atop the League in sacrifice bunts and sacrifice flies.
• The Flames have recorded 12 sac bunts this year, 12th most in Division I baseball, and have driven home five players via the sac fly.

PETERSON DAZZLES IN UIC DEBUT
• Making his first collegiate start and his UIC debut, UIC lefty newcomer Nate Peterson dazzled for the Flames in the team's season opener against New Mexico State.
• Peterson pitched 7.0 innings of one-run ball, walking two while striking out a career-high 13 batters.
• The 13 strikeouts are tied for the sixth-most strikeouts in UIC single-game history, becoming the first Flame pitcher to fan 13 or more batters in a game since Ryan Zink against Saint Louis on March 7, 2004.
• Peterson kept the Aggies offense at bay, and was in line to earn the win before New Mexico State forced extra innings with a ninth-inning rally to end the day with the no-decision. UIC went on to win the contest, 8-3, in 10 innings.
• Through four starts this year, Peterson has 29 strikeouts, second in the Horizon League and 77th nationally.

ON A STREAK
• Bryan Rosario has been a consistent presence atop the Flames lineup, having occupied the lead-off position in 10-of-13 games this year.
• Rosario reached base safely in the first nine games of the year, the longest streak on the team this year.
• Ryan Nagelbach and Rayth Petersen share the team lead for the longest active on-base streak, having safely reached base in each of the last eight games.