SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Prairie Stars enter the four-game series with the Screaming Eagles after beating Division I opponent Western Illinois on Tuesday. UIS Has won three of their last four games, taking two of the final three games from McKendree before the non-conference win at Western. This is the second weekend of conference play as UIS will finish the season with six consecutive conference weekends.
SETTING THE SCENE
The Prairie Stars (9-10, 2-2) are currently in fourth place in the GLVC east after the first conference weekend. Southern Indiana is one game ahead of the Prairie Stars after taking three of four from Bellarmine. Southern Indiana (14-8, 3-1) is 3-3 in their last six games, dropping two games to Quincy after falling 2-1 at the Evansville University the day prior.
APPROACHING THE CENTURY MARK
UIS has won 89 games in the history of the program, as current head coach,
Chris Ramirez, holds 59 of those wins.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The Prairie Stars are 3-0 on the season in true road games, beating Kentucky State twice and Western Illinois. They are 3-3 in neutral site games and 3-7 at UIS Baseball Field. The Prairie Stars have outscored their opponents 44-26 on the road this season while hitting .373 opposed to their opponents average of .268.
Adam Warda is 6-for-7 on the road this season with a double, two homeruns, and three RBI.
Jason Galeano has driven in ten runs on the road this season, which is more than any other player's season total outside of Warda's 11.
ON THE MOUND
The Prairie Stars currently sit fourth in the GLVC in team ERA, as the staff boasts a 3.47 for the season. They are tied for second with three shutouts on the season and have given up just 121 hits in 148 innings, which is 43 less hits than the next best team. Opponents hit just .222 off the Prairie Star pitchers, also best in the league.
LEADERS LAST WEEK
UIS was led by Galeano, Warda, and
Trey Hannam with the bats last week, as they combined for 22 hits over five games. The trio, who occupy the 2-3-4 spots in the lineup, had five doubles, five homeruns, and 15 RBI's in the last five games. Galeano drove in eight alone while Hannam walked four times, pushing his on-base percentage to .450 for the five games.
Chance Simpson continues to lead the team on the mound, throwing his second shutout of the season in a 7-0 win over McKendree.
Jose Marin lowered his ERA to 2.82 after throwing 5.1 innings of one-hit ball against the Bearcats.
GLVC BEST
Through five appearances and four starts, Simpson is second in the GLVC with a .98 ERA and leads the league in opponent batting average, holding opponents to a slim .162 average. Simpson and Marin are second and third in the GLVC in hits allowed at 15 and 16, respectively.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Screaming Eagles are the only team UIS has never beaten with a minimum of four games played. UIS is 0-15 all-time against Southern Indiana, falling six times at home, eight on the road, and once at a neutral site.
WHO'S ON DECK
The Prairie Stars added a mid-week game against Harris-Stowe next Tuesday to make up for a lost game against Rockhurst earlier in the year. The following day, UIS will host Lindenwood – St. Charles before traveling to Lewis for a four-game GLVC set with Lewis University.
