KIRKSVILLE, MO --- The Prairie Stars (20-14) played their first game away from home in three weeks and came away with a 4-1 win at Truman State (15-23). After 12-straight home games, the Prairie Stars took on cross-divisional opponent Truman State and won for the fifth time in their last seven games.
UIS got on the board in the third inning when
Jake Redlinger knocked a bases empty, two-out double to left center before being brought in on a single from
Austin Muench.
Trey Hannam pushed the lead to 2-0 in the fourth with a solo homerun, his eighth of the year, tying him for the team lead.
Again with two-outs and nobody on, the Prairie Stars rallied in the fifth to push two more runs across.
Aaron Kuper began the rally with a six pitch walk as Redlinger roped his second double of the day down the left field line.
Gabriel Acevedo concluded the rally with a single to center, scoring both runs and making the score 4-0.
The double was Redlinger's eighth of the season and fifth in the past four games. He is now 8 for his last 14 with seven extra base hits and seven runs scored. He has reached base safely in 12 of his last 18 plate appearances.
The UIS pitching staff held down the Bulldogs until the ninth inning when they pushed across their only run of the game.
Adam Gregory (5-2) threw the first three innings, allowing three hits and striking out one. Gregory faced the minimum through three thanks to Kuper throwing out three would-be base stealers in the first inning and twice in the third.
Gavin Collins threw the next three innings, allowing just one hit and recorded four of his nine outs via strikeout.
Kyle Strepek threw 2.1 innings before
Richard England picked up the save, retiring the final two batters to give UIS the victory.
The pitching staff scattered just six hits in the nine-inning affair while Kuper threw out three runners on the basepaths, bringing his tally to 12 on the season.
UIS will return home this weekend to face GLVC opponent Wisconsin – Parkside in a four-game set. The two teams will face off on Saturday at 12 and 3 before ending the series on Sunday with the same time first pitch. The Prairie Stars are currently fifth in the GLVC east's eight team division and are one game behind Lewis for the final playoff spot.
