SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Prairie Stars surrendered just two runs in a doubleheader with McKendree, but came away with a split as UIS took game one 7-1 before falling in the series finale 1-0.
Max Biedrzycki and
Aaron Kuper combined to throw seven dominate innings in the first game en route to a 7-1 win over the Bearcats. UIS tallied 11 hits in the first game, including two homeruns and beat McKendree handily for the second straight game. In the finale though, UIS was stifled by the Bearcats and although the combination of
Jose Marin and
Richard England didn't give up an earned run, UIS fell 1-0.
GAME ONE: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 7, MCKENDREE 0McKendree took an early lead in the third, scoring on a double, but Biedrzycki struck the final two batters out to limit the damage. UIS came back in the fury though and answered with five runs in the next half inning.
Austin Muench began the rally with a single and went to third on a double from
Adam Warda. After a walk to
Trey Hannam loaded the bases,
Gabriel Acevedo and
Kenny Hansen tallied back-to-back sacrifice flies to give UIS a 2-0 lead.
Jason Galeano then connected for the biggest hit of the inning, launching his first homerun of the season over the left field wall for a two-run shot. UIS put together three straight hits after the homerun to push across another run as
John Sechen drove in
Kyle Hunsinger to push the score to 5-1.
Warda lifted his fifth homerun of the season in the fourth before Hansen drove in another run in the sixth to make the score 7-1. Warda ended the game 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
Kuper relieved Biedrzycki in the seventh and allowed just one baserunner to close out the game. Biedrzycki, the senior from Bolingbrook, was brilliant on the mound, throwing six innings of one run ball. He struck out eight batters and walked just one to pick up his first win of the season.
GAME TWO: MCKENDREE 1, ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 0In what was the definition of a pitchers dual, the Bearcats capitalized on two Prairie Stars errors in the eighth inning to score the lone run of the game and take the finale.
Zach Patterson leadoff the game for the Prairie Stars with a single to left center, but that would be the only hit either team would garner until the top of the sixth.
Marin shut down the Bearcats until the sixth when he walked Isaac Fisher to begin the inning. After a single, Marin was relieved by England, who closed out the sixth by inducing a fly out to center. Marin ended his day by throwing 5 2/3 innings, giving up just one hit and striking out four. England took the tough loss, giving up three hits and an unearned run in 3 1/3 innings.
The Bearcats broke through in the eighth inning after a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position. Consecutive errors from UIS allowed McKendree to cross the plate, giving them their second run of the day.
UIS rallied in the ninth as Muench began the inning with a single to center and moved to second when Galeano picked up his second hit of the day with a single to left. With first and second, UIS attempted to sacrifice bunt but McKendree was able to get the lead runner at third, keeping the double play in order. The game ended a batter later after a 4-6-3 double play gave McKendree a 1-0 win.
The Prairie Stars gave up just ten runs in the entire series and just two over the course of the final 24 innings. UIS will head on the road to face Division I opponent Western Illinois on Tuesday before traveling to Southern Indiana for their first road GLVC series on Saturday and Sunday.
