CHICAGO -- The UIC baseball team plays its second midweek contest of the season Tuesday afternoon as the Flames travel to take on No. 16 Purdue. First pitch between the Flames and Boilermakers is scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT).

FIRST PITCH
• UIC's three-game home series against Milwaukee last weekend was condensed to a single game due to inclement weather conditions. Ryan Nagelbach hit his team-leading third home run of the year as the Flames dropped a 12-5 decision to the Panthers.
• Through six scheduled Horizon League games, the Flames have only been able to play three contests due to poor playing conditions.
• UIC's defense has been stellar all year, ranking first in the Horizon League with a .972 fielding percentage and first with .76 double plays turned per game.

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 second in sacrifice flies.
• The Flames have recorded 17 sac bunts this year, 12th-most in Division I baseball, and have driven home seven players via the sac fly.
• Breck Nowik has a team-leading five sacrifice bunts this year to rank 15th nationally.

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.

ON A STREAK
• Bryan Rosario has been a consistent presence atop the Flames lineup, having occupied the lead-off position in 10-of-17 games this year.
• Rosario reached base safely in the first nine games of the year, which was the longest streak on the team through the first four weekends of action.
• Ryan Nagelbach and Rayth Petersen now share the team lead for the longest active on-base streak, having safely reached base in each of the last 12 games. Rosario also owns a five-game hitting streak.