SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Prairie Stars (22-24, 12-14) extended their winning streak to six games as they swept Drury in their final home stand of the season, winning 3-2 and 1-0. Jaycee Craver picked up both wins on the day, coming in relief in the first game and then throwing a complete game shutout in the second game.
The Prairie Stars are now 12-2 in their last 14 games and currently hold on to the eighth seed in the conference.

GAME ONE: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 3, DRURY 2
Drury struck first in the top of the second inning but UIS responded back in the bottom half with two runs to take the lead. Ashli King scored Amanda Gosbeth on a squeeze play before BriAnna Edgar brought in the go-ahead run on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch.

The Panthers tied the game in the fifth as a leadoff hit-by-pitch came around to score. With first and third and one out, Craver relieved Alexandria Smith and got the next two batters to strike out and ground out to end the threat.

UIS then scored the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth, responding as they did in the second inning. Haley Inman led off the inning with a bunt single, stole second and third, and then scored on a shallow fly out from Gosbeth.

Craver struck out the side in the top of the seventh to finish the game and retired all eight batters she faced in 2.2 innings of work. She struck out four of the eight batters she saw and picked up the win to improve to 13-11 on the season.

Alexa McClaughry led the way offensively with two hits while Gosbeth added a double, run, and RBI.

GAME TWO: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 1, DRURY 0
The Prairie Stars shut out their opponent in the second game of a double header for the fifth time in their last six tries en route to a 1-0 win. Craver was exceptional in the circle, throwing a complete game, and allowing just four hits. She picked up her third win of the weekend and improved to 14-11 in her freshman campaign.

The lone run of the game came in the fourth inning when King lined a one-out triple to right center before Rachel Goff lined a single through the left side.

Craver retired 17 of the first 19 batters and nobody reached second base until the sixth inning. In the seventh, Craver worked out of a jam, as she induced a bases loaded groundout to end the game. In the sixth, Drury had a chance to tie the game but Madi Torry gunned down the would be runner at home with a perfect strike from center field.

Offensively, Torry and King each had two hits but the Prairie Stars totaled just six on the game. Torry and McClaughry each stole a base in the win.

With the winning streak, the Prairie Stars have set themselves up for a dramatic final weekend with William Jewell and Rockhurst. Four teams are currently battling for the final two playoff spots and those four teams happen to play each other this weekend. McKendree will travel to William Jewell and then go to Rockhurst to close out the regular season while UIS will take on Rockhurst and finish with William Jewell.
UIS is looking for their third consecutive GLVC tournament bid.