Baseball (10-22, 5-4 MAC) will have a chance to embark on a 5-2 win against the University of Illinois at Chicago on Tuesday when it takes on Western Michigan University (8-21, MAC 1-5 MAC) in a three-game series starting today.

The Huskies didn’t wait long to get on the scoreboard against the Flames Tuesday, picking up five runs in the first three innings. UIC had a better hitting night that NIU, out-hitting the Huskies 7-4, but weren’t able to translate its hitting into run success.

The Broncos’ last game was a loss against Valparaiso University (11-15). They are currently on a six-game losing streak and are 2-8 in their last 10 games.

“They [Western Michigan] are a very good club – very well coached,” said NIU head coach Mike Kunigonis. “There scuffling, not struggling and it’s going to be a MAC weekend. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing – first place or last place, it’s going to be a grind.”

The Huskies won the series 2-1 last year and haven’t been swept by the Broncos since 2012. Since the start of conference play the Huskies have been on a roll, earning half of their wins against MAC opponents.

“I think we match up well against them,” Kunigonis said. “It’s going to be a really good Friday night match-up and we’re fired up to play those guys and I’m excited to get back into MAC play and win a weekend.”

The first game of the series will begin at 2 p.m. today in Kalamazoo, Mich.