CHICAGO – For the second consecutive week, a UIC baseball pitcher was recognized for his efforts on the mound when the Missouri Valley Conference announced junior hurler Mason Lei the Newcomer of the Week after a stellar outing last Friday at Sam Houston State.

"He (Lei) never got in any trouble on the bases, he was able to control the run game, and he was ahead of the count all night," head coach Sean McDermott said. "Mason has been an unbelievable addition, he has come in and gotten a lot better. He is tremendous worker; he is a great teammate and is beloved by the entire locker room. So proud of Mason and what he has put out on the mound for us the first two weekends. We look forward to that getting better down the road."

Lei took the mound at Don Sanders Stadium in the opening game against Sam Houston State. The right-hander was lights out on the mound, throwing 6 1/3 innings, allowing only four hits and walking a pair. Lei also struck out 10 batters in his appearance, the most by a UIC pitcher since Nate Peterson collected 11 strikeouts against Valparaiso on April 1, 2022.

Lei, alongside graduate student pitchers Mark Eddie and Zack Millsap, kept the Bearkats at bay, combining for a three-pitcher complete-game shutout as the Flames took two of three over the weekend to close their time in Texas with a 3-4 record.

Lei becomes the second pitcher to be recognized by the MVC this season, joining Millsap, who was named the MVC Pitcher of The Week a week ago after collecting a three-inning save in the final game against Incarnate Word.

The Flames are back on the diamond this weekend, traveling to compete in Tennessee Tech's Holiday Inn Classic. None of the games will be streamed, but live stats will be available at UICFlames.com. The Flames open the weekend taking on the Golden Eagles, with the first pitch scheduled at Bush Stadium for 4 p.m. (CT).

For more information on UIC Athletics and UIC baseball, visit UICFlames.com. Fans can also follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Baseball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_baseball and @uicflames).

#ChicagosCollegeTeam