SPRINGFIELD, IL --- Trey Hannam blasted a solo homerun in the sixth inning, leading to a 3-2 victory for UIS (15-14, 6-6) over Lewis University (17-10, 7-5). The Prairie Stars fell in the second game, as a four-run sixth for Lewis proved to be the difference maker.
GAME ONE: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 3, LEWIS 2
Max Biedrzycki (2-1) threw six strong innings before handing the ball to
Richard England as he picked up his five save of the season. A leadoff single for Lewis came around to score in the bottom half of the first, but UIS responded in the second to tie the game.
Adam Warda struck a double to left center to start the inning and came into score on a single from
Brody McGrath.
UIS took their first lead of the game in the third as a two-out single from Hannam moved
Zach Patterson to third, who reached on a leadoff walk. Lewis gifted UIS a run with a passed ball, giving UIS their first lead at 2-1.
Biedrzycki gave one back in the bottom half but limited the damage as Lewis loaded the bases with nobody out. Biedrzcki struck out two of the final three batters in the inning to keep the Flyers from taking the lead.
Both pitchers settled in after that and it wasn't until Hannam's one-out blast in the sixth that a runner crossed the plate again. It was Hannam's sixth homerun of the season and fourth in the past six games, including the second this series.
The blast was the game-winner, as England came in and recorded the save to ensure at least a split for the Prairie Stars.
GAME TWO: LEWIS 9, ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 5
In the second at-bat of the game, Warda hit his team leading seventh homerun of the season out to left field, giving UIS the early advantage.
Lewis responded with two runs in the bottom half off
Matt Farrington (1-6) who worked his way out of a jam after the first four batters reached base for the Flyers.
Two more runs for Lewis in the second pushed their lead to 4-1 before UIS could cut into the deficit in the fifth.
Austin Muench leadoff with a double down the left field line and came in to score on a single from
John Sechen. Warda then collected his second RBI of the game, driving in Sechen with a single up the middle. UIS trailed just 4-3 after five.
After Farrington shut down Lewis following the two-run inning for UIS, the Prairie Stars took the lead with two more runs in the sixth. An error to lead off the inning started things for UIS who scored first on a doubled from Muench to tie the game at four.
Kyle Hunsinger gave UIS the lead with an RBI single to right.
Unfortunately, UIS couldn't hold onto the lead as Lewis scored four times in the bottom half of the sixth, taking the lead for good. Another run in the seventh pushed the score to 9-5 where it became final.
Warda, Muench, and Sechen each had two hits in the second game. Warda drove in two runs and Muench scored twice to lead the offensive attack.
Gavin Collins threw three innings of relief, closing out the game, giving up just two hits and striking out three.
UIS will host Robert Morris Springfield in a double header on Wednesday before getting back into GLVC action with Bellarmine on Saturday and Sunday.
