Quotes & Notes: UIC Flames & Gibson on Fire

As of 3:30 PM, the main rain system is moving past Columbia - 6:30 game should take place as scheduled.

■ The Flames of UI-C come into Simmons Field on a high, having whomped Cleveland State in a Sunday double-header, 15-5 and 18-2.

• They have a 6-12 record on the season, against some pretty hefty competition (0-4 at Texas, 0-4 ar Alabama, 1-3 at Vanderbilt to start the season).

• The UIC pitching staff has a 4.89 ERA . . . with only 9 pitchershaving stepped on the mound so far this season

• Offensively, the Flames are sputtering, with a .253 batting average

• From the Flames' weekly Game Notes: UIC is our preferred reference. Please refrain from using “Illinois-Chicago” or any other references since they are incorrect. Thank you for your cooperation.

• Infielder Andy Leonard was named the Horizon League Player of the Week. He batted .500 (7-for-14) with four doubles in three games against Cleveland State to open league play this past weekend.

■ Kyle Gibson has been awarded the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week award for the 2nd straight week, according to Big12Sports.com:

For the second week in a row, Gibson posted a complete-game win as he struck
outa career-high 16 batters in the Tigers’ 3-2 victory over No. 3 Texas A&M. He gave up just two runs on five hits. Gibson’s only walk allowed on the night was an intentional pass in the eighth inning. The Greenfield, Ind. hurler retired the first 10 batters to the plate and 18 of the first 19 he faced. Gibson improves his record to 4-1 on the year and moved into MU’s top 10 career strikeouts (227) after Friday’s performance. He is currently tied for eighth place