SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Prairie Stars won in walk-off fashion on Easter Sunday as the University of Illinois Springfield baseball swept a doubleheader against the Saint Joseph's Pumas, 2-1 and 2-1, at the UIS Baseball Field.

Junior Adam Warda (Skokie, Ill.) drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning of game one on a line drive single up the middle. Junior Jake Redlinger, who doubled earlier in the inning, came around to score. In game two, senior Alex Bradley (Peoria, Ill.) pinch-hit for freshman Michael Rothmund (Lombard, Ill.) and drew a bases-loaded walk to end the game in the tenth inning.

The sweep comes after UIS dropped both games of a doubleheader to the Pumas on Saturday. The Prairie Stars move back to .500 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a 9-9 record.

Sunday's games were dominated by pitching as the teams combined to score a total of six runs.

Junior Max Biedrzycki (Bolingbrook, Ill.) got the start for UIS in game one and was dominant, allowing just one run over six innings while striking out nine batters. He struck out six of the first seven batters he faced.

The Prairie Stars ran into trouble in the third inning. A pair of errors helped the Pumas load the bases with no outs. Pumas' second baseman Matt Skrzypiec drew a walk to bring home the game's first run. Biedrzycki struck the next batter out and then induced an inning-ending double play to get out of the jam.

UIS tied the game up in the fourth inning when junior Gabriel Acevedo (Portage, Ind.) mashed his fourth home run of the season, this one over the left field fence.

The score remained 1-1 over the next four innings as both teams had chances to score but couldn't capitalize. Both starting pitchers worked out of jams in the sixth inning to keep the game tied. In the bottom of the eighth, Jake Redlinger hit a one-out double up the middle, hustling to second to beat the throw from the center fielder. After an infield single from Bradley moved him over to third, Redlinger came around to score on Warda's base-hit to give the Prairie Stars the 2-1 victory.

Senior Kyle Schildroth (Aviston, Ill.) earned the win after pitching two perfect innings in relief. In game two, Schildroth earned his second win of the day, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Junior Matt Farrington (Orland Park, Ill.) got the start in the final game of the day. He pitched into the seventh inning and allowed just one run while striking out eight.

The Prairie Stars got on the board in the second inning. With two outs in the frame, Redlinger and junior Lance LeBaron (Coon Rapids, Minn.) hit back-to-back doubles to give UIS a 1-0 lead. Farrington scattered eight hits over 6.1 innings, taking a 1-0 into the seventh and final inning. The Pumas' Garrett O'Neill drilled a one-out home run over the left field fence to tie the game at 1-1, forcing extra innings. 

In the bottom of the tenth, Acevedo and Warda delivered consecutive one-out singles to put runners on second and third after Acevedo advanced to second when the Pumas tried to catch Warda advancing to third. Junior Aaron Kuper (Highland, Ill.) was intentionally walked to load the bases for pinch-hitter Alex Bradley. After falling behind 0-2, Bradley battled back to eventually draw the game-ending walk.

With the sweep, the Prairie Stars split the season series with Saint Joseph's.

UIS is back in action at home this coming weekend to host Lewis.