TUSCALOOSA, ALA. – The UIC baseball team is set to play its third series of the season this weekend, as it travels to Alabama to take on the 20^th ranked Crimson Tide from the Southeastern Conference.
 
MATCHUP BREAKDOWN

• The Flames and Crimson Tide will meet for the first time in program history, but the Flames are no strangers to SEC programs. UIC has competed against two other SEC schools in the last two seasons.
• Alabama has a 9-0 record to start the 2023 regular season, scoring in double digits in six of its nine games played.
• The Crimson Tide boast a team batting average over .300, currently sitting at .360. Alabama's 16 home runs this season are good enough to rank them 19^th in NCAA Division I.

FLAMES FACTS

• AJ Henkle has led the way offensively for UIC this season, leading or co-leading the Flames in almost every offensive statistical category including batting average (.368) and RBI (6).
• Kade Lancour (2-0) is scheduled to take the mound Friday in the series opener, and leads the UIC staff in innings pitched (12.1). Batters are hitting just .250 against Lancour, who boasts a 3.65 ERA in his two starts. Saturday and Sunday's starting pitchers for UIC are to be determined.
• The Flames have taken care of business in the field this season, sporting a .984 team fielding percentage with just four errors through seven games.

The series opener Friday is set for a 3:00 p.m. CT first pitch from Sewell-Thomas Stadium, with Saturday's game set to start at 2:00 p.m. CT. Get-away day for the Flames on Sunday will feature a 12:00 p.m. CT first pitch.