CHICAGO – The UIC baseball team is set to continue its season-long eight game home stand this week, as it closes out its season series with Northwestern before welcoming Belmont for a three-game weekend series.

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN

• The Wildcats come into Granderson Stadium Tuesday night looking to avoid being swept in the season series by UIC, as the Flames have claimed the previous two match ups by four runs each (10-6, 24-20).
• Northwestern currently holds a 7-31 overall record, as well as a 3-12 mark in Big Ten play. The Wildcats just returned from East Lansing, Mich., having dropped a three-game weekend series to Michigan State.
• Pitching has been an area of concern for the Wildcats this season, as their staff earned run average sits near nine at 8.88. 

SCOUTING BELMONT

• For the second weekend in a row, the Flames will face a Missouri Valley opponent that enters the series with the same conference record as themselves (6-12).
• The Bruins most recently took on Murray State, dropping two of three to the Racers at home in Nashville.
• The Flames and Bruins have previously met eight times prior to this season, with the Bruins holding a 5-3 advantage.
• The Bruins boast a balanced offensive attack, with no one hitter batting over .300, but with a .249 mark as a team on the year.

FLAMES FACTS

• UIC enters the week as winners of four of its last five games, currently holding a 19-20 overall record with a 6-12 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play.
• The Flames earned their second MVC series win over the weekend, taking two of three from Bradley before dropping the series finale Sunday afternoon.
• Brandon Bak tossed a gem in the series opener against Bradley, earning the win after going eight innings and allowing just four hits. The 2-1 victory for the Flames was the first win for UIC this season when scoring three or fewer runs.
• Granderson Stadium has been kind to the Flames this season, as UIC boasts an 8-6 record at Les Miller Field.
• Rayth Petersen has found his stride at the plate as of late, ballooning his batting average .055 points in the last eight games. Those eight games also represent his current hitting streak, which currently leads the team.

Each game this week will be available to watch on the ESPN family of digital networks and listen to on the Flames Network via the links on the schedule page. The game against Northwestern Tuesday night will serve as Teacher's Appreciation Night, with free UIC tumblers available for all teachers with valid school ID's. Saturday's game against Belmont will be Bark in the Park day, with UIC pet bandanas given to all dogs in attendance. Sunday's game will serve as Youth Sports Day, with free Flames baseballs being given to all young Flames fans in attendance.