Final Stats

CHICAGO - Junior Johnny Zubek (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) finished 3-for-4, including a double in the sixth inning, for NIU (11-12) Wednesday afternoon at Curtis Granderson Stadium but the effort wasn't enough as the Huskies fell to UIC (8-10-1), 10-0. Zubek's three hits set a new single game high for the junior, who made his first career start in the outfield.

Nate Ruzich (Joliet, Ill./South Suburban College) extended his on-base streak to 22-straight games with his double in the fourth inning, finishing 1-for-3. Andrew Frankenreider (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) tossed a perfect eighth inning, catching one batter looking at a called strike three.

"Consistency has been our struggle all season. We need to do a better job of coming to the ball park ready to play every day. We show flashes of being a MAC Championship caliber team but today wasn't one of those days," said Head Coach Mike Kunigonis. "John Zubek had a really good day today and has done a good job of having a plan at the plate all year and today it paid off. Our 23-game road swing ended today and we welcome a good home stretch, starting this Friday against Bowling Green."

After scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning, the Flames would add three runs in the third and four more in the fifth to take an 8-0 lead on the Huskies with 12 hits and one error.

NIU recorded six hits heading into the seventh inning stretch, including Ruzich's double in the fourth inning, but the Huskies were unable to string enough together to scratch runs across home plate.

All told, the Flames scored runs in five of the game's nine frames, including a string of three-consecutive innings with at least one run.

Frankenreider broke UIC's scoring streak in the eighth as he recorded the Huskies first perfect inning of the game as he struckout Ricardo Ramirez looking to end the eighth after forcing a flyout and groundout.

NIU had a chance to break the shutout in the top of the eight, loading the bases with one out but were unable to break the shutout as it UIC's starting pitcher Trevor Lane caught two-consecutive batters looking at strike three. The Huskies stranded eight runners on base with seven hits.

FRIDAY'S HOME OPENER MOVED TO 1:05 P.M.

Due to forecasted weather, Friday's NIU baseball home opener against Bowling Green has been moved to 1:05 p.m. Central from its originally scheduled 3:05 p.m. first pitch.

The Huskies opened the season with 23-straight road games and will play seven-straight at home starting against the Falcons this week.

For future changes in the schedule, visit NIUHuskies.com.