SPRINGFIELD, IL --- Sitting one game out of a playoff spot, the Prairie Stars (17-14, 6-6) welcome in Bellarmine (17-15, 8-4) for a four-game series that will play a pivotal role in the conference standings. The Prairie Stars are concluding what turned into an 11-game home stand after their last series was moved from Romeoville to Springfield due to weather.
SETTING THE SCENE
The Prairie Stars, winners of six of their last eight games, welcome in Bellarmine for a four-game set, currently sitting two-games back of the Knights in the GLVC East standings. UIS is coming off two blow out victories over Robert Morris Springfield by the way of 13-1 and 17-0. Prior to that, UIS split a four-game set with Lewis, winning games two and three of the series.
UIS has played three conference series' so far this season, splitting all three with McKendree, Southern Indiana, and Lewis.
Bellarmine visits Springfield after taking three of four from Saint Joseph's College last weekend, winning the final three games. Prior to that, Bellarmine hosted McKendree and swept the Bearcats. The Knights opened up conference play by losing three of four to Southern Indiana on the road, a place where UIS split the weekend after.
APPROACHING THE CENTURY MARK
UIS has now won 97 games in the history of the program, which began in 2011. Current head coach,
Chris Ramirez, holds 67 of those wins, having been at the helm for three seasons.
OFFENSE COMING ALIVE
The Prairie Stars now rank in the top five in the conference in five different offensive categories. As a team, UIS is hitting .302, and are one of eight teams to have a team batting average over .300. The Prairie Stars rank fourth and fifth in slugging percentage and on-base percentage, respectively, with a team slash line of .305/.394/.459 (average, on-base, slugging).
With that,
Gabriel Acevedo is ninth in the league in hitting, currently sitting with a .394 average. Close behind is
Trey Hannam, who is hitting .373 on the season. Acevedo, Hannam, and
Adam Warda are all in the top ten in slugging percentage as well with Hannam and Acevedo in the top-five in on-base percentage, each reaching base safely over 48 percent of the time.
SIMPSON STILL STRONG
Despite an uncharacteristic outing against Lewis,
Chance Simpson is still fifth in the league in ERA, boasting a 2.35 for the season. Opponents are hitting just .208 against the righty, third best in the league.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Prairie Stars and Knights have met ten times since 2012, with the two teams splitting the match ups. UIS won three in a row spanning from 2014 and 2015 before the Knights took two of the last three. In the ten games, Bellarmine holds a two-run advantage, outscoring UIS 48-46.
WHO TO WATCH FOR
Bellarmine brings a .293 team average to Springfield, led by Cole Metcalfe, who paces the offense at .385. Metcalfe is tied for second on the team with eight doubles and has a team high 31 RBI. Four players hold an on-base percentage over .400.
On the mound, Bellarmine is tenth in the league in team-ERA, with a mark of 5.02. The ace of the staff is Hunter Spencer, who boasts an ERA of 1.91, third best in the GLVC. The lefty sophomore is 4-1 on the season and has given up eight earned runs in 37.2 innings.
WHO'S ON DECK
The Prairie Stars will hit the road for the first time since April 3
rd, as they take on Truman State on Tuesday. UIS will return home for a weekend series with Wisconsin – Parkside the following weekend as they play their third to final GLVC series.
