JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - After a disappointing opening to the day with a 8-4 loss, the University of Illinois Springfield softball team rebounded for an 8-0 win against Lake Superior State on Sunday afternoon at Lenz Field.

The Prairie Stars (11-4) scattered eight runs across six innings to earn the victory in game two. In the first inning, Lauren Hollinshead (Sherman, Ill.) crossed home plate on a short hit to near the first base line. UIS added to its lead with another run after Taylor Bowlby (St. Charles, Ill.) sent a double down the right field line allowing Rachel Goff (Edwardsville, Ill.) to score. Goff reached on a double of her own.

Hollinshead made another trip around the bases with a home run in the third. The Stars scored another run on Jordyn Amos' (Columbia, Ill.) double to left field to make it a 4-0 game after three.

In the fourth, Jordyn Larsen (Chanhahon, Ill.) drew a leadoff walk before moving over on a single from Bowlby. Sophomore Amanda Gosbeth (Carol Stream, Ill.) then sent a double to center field to bring Larsen home. A sacrifice fly brought Bowlby home before Gosbeth crossed the plate on Chelsea Minor's (Petersburg, Ill.) double to center to make it a 7-0 lead.

Back-to-back walks in the fifth put the game-winning run at second. A double from Larsen allowed the runner to score and end the game in five.

Bowlby was 2-for-2 at the plate and pitched the complete game shutout. She surrendered just four hits and one walk, while fanning five. Only two batters reached third base in her outing. For Lake Superior State, Riley Durbano earned the loss in 2.2 innings with four hits and two walks.

Game one was a completely different story. UIS took a 1-0 lead in the first, but quickly relinquished that advantage in the second. The Lakers scored six runs on four hits, five walks and a wild pitch. LSSU stayed out front for the remainder of the game, plating runs in the fourth and sixth.

In the fourth, Amos sent a double to to left field before coming around to score on a passed ball. The Stars cut the lead in half with two runs in the sixth, but it was not enough as the Lakers shut down UIS to win the first game.

Brandi Anderson earned the win on eight hits, four runs, three walks and three strikeouts. Alexandria Smith (East Peoria, Ill.) was tagged with the loss to move to 5-2 on the season. Goff came in as a second reliever and closed out the game with 3.1 innings of work, giving up four hits and one unearned run while striking out one.

UIS now turns its attention to conference action as it heads to St. Louis to take on UMSL and Maryville. The Tritons are currently ranked No. 4 in the latest NFCA poll and play Lake Superior State before facing UIS on Saturday, March 14.