SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The University of Illinois Springfield softball team could not overcome strong pitching and hot bats of the No. 16 Southern Indiana squad as the Prairie Stars dropped 6-4 and 5-0 decisions on Sunday afternoon at the Land of Lincoln Softball Complex.

It is the first time this season that UIS dropped back-to-back games and moves the squad to a 20-9 overall mark and a 7-5 record in league action. The Screaming Eagles advanced to 23-3 on the season and 10-2 in GLVC play.

In game one, Southern Indiana took a one-run lead in the first. Haley Hodges recorded one of her four RBI for the day when scoring MacKenzi Dorsam.

UIS knotted the score in the fourth when Jordyn Amos smacked a double to right field to put Trisha Faulkner on third. Faulkner replaced Brittany Miller on the bases as she was hit by a pitch. Rachel Goff then sent a sacrifice fly to right field to score the run.

The Prairie Stars tacked on three runs in the fifth after Molly Manietta opened the inning with a single through the left side. A perfectly placed sac bunt from Taylor Bowlby moved the runner to second. Freshman Jordyn Larsen then stepped to the plate to hit a double down the left field line and score the run. Sophomore Amanda Gosbeth then stepped to the plate to hit her first career home run over the center field fence for the 4-1 lead.

USI responded in the sixth when Hodges hit a three-run homer to tie the score again. After a quiet bottom of the sixth for the Stars, the Eagles got their bats going and scored two runs in the final frame to secure the victory.

Brooke Harmening earned the win to move to 14-1 on ths season with no walks and one strikeout. Bowlby was tagged with the loss in 1.2 innings of work. Alexandria Smith started the game and recorded six strikeouts and two walks in her no decision 5.1 inning outing.

In game two, the Eagles opened the game with a home run on a 2-2 pitch with two outs. They then pushed across two runs in the fourth and fifth to get the sweep. Pitcher Sarah Owens had a no-hitter through five innings until Amos hit a double to right center. Owens earned the win with two hits, three walks and eight strikeouts in the shutout.

Bowlby was tagged with the loss in game two in 4.1 innings of work. She gave up seven hits, five runs and a walk, while striking out three. Smith came in relief in game two and fanned three.

The Prairie Stars have a short time to recover as UIS hosts McKendree on Tuesday afternoon. The Bearcats come to town for a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Land of Lincoln.