SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Prairie Stars will host the number one team in the nation in UIndy this weekend after they settle a two-game set with Saint Joseph's on Friday. UIS was originally scheduled to face Saint Joe's on Sunday, but due to looming weather, moved their game against the Puma's to Friday, and will finish the conference weekend on Saturday with a doubleheader against UIndy.

SETTING THE SCENE
The Prairie Stars (14-22, 6-12) are in the middle of their second longest winning streak of the season, winning their last four games over both Lewis and Wisconsin – Parkside. UIS currently sits in 12^th place in the GLVC, one spot behind Saint Joseph's and needing to jump five spots to get into the playoff hunt. UIS is only two games behind William Jewell who currently occupies the eighth spot.

Saint Joseph's (11-28, 7-11) enters the series having lost nine of their last ten games. The Puma's beat Wisconsin – Parkside twice before falling to Lewis, UIndy, Bellarmine, and Southern Indiana in that order. Unlike the Prairie Stars, Saint Joe's still has to play eight games against the top half of the league.

#1 UIndy (34-1, 17-1) lost at Southern Indiana for their lone loss of the season before beating Bellarmine twice to get back to their winning ways. The Greyhounds have the fourth best team ERA in the country at 1.08, and rank first in the GLVC in batting average, hitting at a .330 clip. Morgan Foley ranks 4^th in the nation in ERA, 2^nd in hits/7innings, 3^rd in strikeouts, and first in strikeouts/7 innings.

HOME SWEET HOME
UIS hits nearly 70 points higher at home than they do on the road this season. In ten home games, UIS is hitting .310 with a .391 on-base percentage as opposed to the road where they hit just .241 and have an on-base percentage of .290. Madi Torry is hitting .483 in home games and is second on the team with seven RBI's in those ten games. Additionally, the team ERA is a run and a half lower, as the Prairie Stars hold opponents to just over three runs per game at home opposed to four and a half on the road.

SECOND HALF SWING
The second half of the schedule is favorable to the Prairie Stars, as UIndy is the lone team in the top half of the standings they face the rest of the way. UIS will host Missouri S&T and Drury to close out a 14-game home stand next weekend before ending the regular season with Rockhurst and William Jewell on the road.

Aside from the first half of the conference schedule being tough, UIS has the 4^th highest strength of schedule in the nation, with their opponents have a .617 overall winning percentage.

CONFERENCE STATISTICS
The Prairie Stars rank fourth in the GLVC in fielding percentage and are second in the league in stolen bases per game. UIS swipes 1.64 bags per game, second only to Truman State's 1.81.

Brittany Miller and Ashli King are second and third in the conference in hit-by-pitches and both rank in the top-40 in the nation in the same category. Amanda Gosbeth has left the park seven times this season, putting her seventh in the GLVC.

WHO'S ON DECK
Lindenwood St. Charles comes to UIS for a mid-week non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday which will serve as the Pink Game for the UIS softball team. The following weekend, Missouri S&T and Drury will come into town for the final four home games of the season for the Prairie Stars. The April 17^th doubleheader against Drury will serve as senior day for the Prairie Stars.