ROSEMONT, IL --- On day two of the Lewis Flyer Invitational, the Prairie Stars (3-10) suffered two tough losses to Findlay and Upper Iowa. UIS held early leads in both games, but big innings for both opposing teams led to two tough losses for UIS, who now sit at 3-10 on the season with one more neutral site game remaining.

GAME 1: FINDLAY 3, ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 2
The Prairie Stars started their third game of the Lewis Flyer Invitational with Alexandria Smith (0-6) in the circle and retired the first eight batters she saw.

On the offensive side, Ashli King began the second inning by getting hit with a 3-2 pitch before Amanda Gosbeth singled to short on an 0-2 count, putting runners on first and second. Alexa McClaughry sacrificed both runners over before Molly Manietta plated the first run with an RBI ground out to third. BriAnna Edgar then came up with the biggest hit of the inning with a triple on the ninth pitch of her at-bat, scoring Gosbeth.

The Prairie Stars took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the second where Smith put the Oilers down in order on nine pitches, seven of which were strikes.

Findlay got their first base runner with two outs in the third when Smith surrendered a two-out walk but worked around the damage by getting the leadoff hitter to ground out to short.

The Prairie Stars left runners on in both the fourth and the fifth and were unable to capitalize with runners in scoring position. Smith had yet to surrender a hit though, cruising through four innings.

In the top of the fifth though, Findlay recorded back-to-back singles to lead off the inning and then a three-run home run gave the Oilers a 3-2 lead. Smith got the next two batters out but was replaced by Rachel Goff after another single. Goff finished the game for the Prairie Stars, not surrendering any more runs.

UIS ran into some unfortunate luck in the sixth though as Brittany Miller leadoff with a single to center field and was replaced by Alexa Brown on the bases. After a fly out and foul out, McClaughry roped a double to left center that the left fielder kicked over the fence off the carom. The umpires ruled that it was a ground rule double, keeping Brown at third. On the next pitch, Brown was caught trying to score on a wild pitch, ending the inning.

UIS went down in order in the final frame and fell to 3-9 on the season.

Madi Torry, Miller, Gosbeth, McClaughry, and Edgar each recorded hits and Faulkner added a stolen base. Smith went 4.2 innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits while striking out four. Goff finished the final 1.1 innings, giving up one hit and a walk.

GAME 2: UPPER IOWA 6, ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 4
In the second game of their double-header the Prairie Stars surrendered two runs in the top of the first inning, much like they did the last time they faced the Peacocks in Arkansas. However, this time around, the Prairie Stars responded in kind, tying the game in the bottom half of the inning. Inman leadoff the game with a single and stole second before Torry moved her over with a ground ball to the right side. Miller then connected for her second homerun of the season, sending a blast over the left field wall and tying the score at two.

UIS then got back-to-back singles from King and McClaughry but were unable to capitalize and take the lead.

After pitching around a jam in the second, UIS took the lead in the bottom half when Manietta began the inning with a single and was pinch ran for by Alexa Brown. Brown advanced to second on a ground out and moved to third on a single from Inman. Brown scored on an RBI groundout from Torry and gave the Prairie Stars a 3-2 lead.

They held this lead until the fourth when back-to-back singles knocked Craver from the game as UIS turned to Rachel Goff. A bunt single loaded the bases and was followed by a two RBI double before two more runs came across later in the inning.

Down 6-3, UIS rallied in the fifth as Torry leadoff with a single before Miller collected her third RBI of the day with a double to right center, scoring the speedy Torry. With nobody out, Edgar pinch ran for Miller but the Prairie Stars couldn't score her, as three straight fly outs prevented her from coming around.

UIS got two runners on in the seventh inning but McClaughry's fly ball hit the roof to end the game, as the Prairie Stars fell 6-4.

Each of the top four hitters for UIS collected two hits while Miller added a walk and three RBI to her day as well. Inman stole two bases and King swiped one on the base paths. In the circle, Craver took the loss, throwing 3.1 innings and giving up four earned runs on nine hits, striking out three. Goff surrendered two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning before Alex Smith closed the final three innings, striking out three and giving up two hits.