MACOMB, IL --- The Prairie Stars began their week by taking down NCAA Division I and Summit League member, Western Illinois (6-16), by a score of 13-5 in Macomb. Illinois Springfield (9-10, 2-2) jumped on top early, scoring four runs in the first inning and never looked back en route to their third win over a Division I team in program history.

The Prairie Stars are now 2-1 all-time against the Leathernecks, with their other win over a Division I opponent coming in the first game in program history in 2011 over Alcorn State, who qualified for an NCAA regional the year prior.

UIS racked up 16 hits in the game, scoring 13 runs, their second highest output of the season. With five extra base hits on the night, the Prairie Stars went deep three times, using long balls from Adam Warda, Trey Hannam, and Jason Galeano to take and extend their lead.

The pitching staff surrendered just four earned runs on the night, giving up just seven hits, though they walked ten in the game. They stranded 15 Leatherneck runners on the bases, making big pitches when they had to.

The Prairie Stars took an early lead, scoring four in the top of the first, courtesy of a bases loaded wild pitch and an ensuing three-run blast from Galeano. The homerun was Galeano's second of the season and second in the past three games.

Western cut the deficit to 4-2 in the third but UIS responded with three runs in the seventh on Hannam's second homerun of the season. His three-run shot put the Prairie Stars up 7-2 and preceded a Warda blast in the seventh. UIS hit three homeruns in a game for the second time this season, copying an effort at Kentucky State on March 16^th.

Western Illinois cut into the lead in the eighth, plating two runs but the Prairie Stars plated five in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach. UIS collected four hits in the inning and capitalized on a Leatherneck error to extend their lead to 13-4 before the final at-bat for the home team. Galeano picked up a two-run double before John Sechen connected for an RBI single.

Warda and Austin Muench each had three hits in the game while Ryan Walling set the table with two hits in the leadoff spot. Sechen picked up two hits off the bench but it was Galeano's performance that took precedent. The junior first basemen went 2-for-5 on the night with a double and a homerun, and drove in five runs, the highest single-game total of the season.

Adam Gregory (2-2) picked up the win on the mound, throwing four innings, giving up two earned on five hits. Gavin Collins threw an inning of scoreless relief before Kyle Strepek followed with two innings of scoreless work, striking out four. Jon Laird and Richard England closed out the game for UIS, capturing their ninth win of the season.

The Prairie Stars will take this momentum back into the conference season as they hit the road to take on Southern Indiana on Saturday and Sunday.