OAKLAND CITY, IN --- The Prairie Stars (4-2) had a big weekend, picking up four straight wins over Oakland City on the road. Illinois Springfield dominated the weekend, outscoring the Mighty Oaks 45-11 over the course of four games.

GAME ONE: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 14, OAKLAND CITY 4
UIS opened the series with four runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back, pushing nine runs across in the first three innings of the series. Cole Taylor and Mike Rothmund each homered in the first inning to get the offense rolling for the Prairie Stars.

In the second, Rothmund homered again and James Battley doubled in a run as well which was plenty of offense for starting pitcher Gunnar Kay to pick up the first win of the season for UIS. Kay went 5.2 innings, giving up four runs, though just one was earned, and struck out nine batters.

Austin Kapusinski and Chase Lowman finished out the final 1.1 innings, giving up just one hit and striking out two.

GAME TWO: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 9, OAKLAND CITY 0
In the second game on Saturday, it was much of the same as UIS jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first when Battley took one out of the park for a three-run homerun. Ethan Howard, in his second appearance and first career start, used the early run support to cruise to a complete game shutout. Howard struck out seven and walked just one in seven innings, inducing 10 ground outs on the day.

UIS added a run in the sixth and five more in the seventh to break the game open. Kenny Hansen and Drew Harper each had two hits in the game while Battley, Hansen, and Myles Hann each drove in multiple runs.

GAME THREE: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 15, OAKLAND CITY 5
As was true the entire weekend, UIS jumped out early on the Mighty Oaks, scoring three runs in the first inning and five in the second. UIS scored 13 of their 15 runs in the first four innings before adding on two in the seventh and final inning.

Trey Hannam opened up the scoring with a double in the first before Rothmund connected for his third homerun of the weekend.

Four different Prairie Stars recorded multiple hits in the third game, led by Hannam's 3-for-3 effort with three runs scored and four runs batted in.

Adam Gregory picked up the win, throwing five innings of five hit ball, surrendering just three runs while striking out six. Sam Geraci and R.D. Lutze each threw an inning in relief to close out the game.

GAME FOUR: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 7, OAKLAND CITY 2
For the first time all weekend, UIS trailed in a game as Oakland City scored two in the second inning of the final game of the series. This lead did not last long as in the next half inning, Cole Taylor hit a two-run blast to tie the game before UIS plated four in the fourth to break the game open. Taylor doubled in two more runs in the fourth to give him four RBI on the day as he batted behind Chris Mathieu, who went 4-for-4 on the day with two runs and two RBI.

Brayden Jensen got the win on the mound, throwing five innings, giving up two runs (zero earned) on three hits. Jon Laird came in relief and threw one inning, striking out one and not allowing a run.

PRAIRIE STAR NOTES: UIS moves to 4-2 on the season with the four-game sweep of the Mighty Oaks … The four-game winning streak is their longest since 2014 when they took two from both Bellarmine and McKendree … The four-game winning streak ties the longest in program history … Chris Mathieu went 5-for-6 on the weekend … Trey Hannam went 6-for-9 with four doubles, five runs, and four RBI … Cole Taylor scored a team-high eight runs … Michael Rothmund has four hits on the season, three home runs and a double … UIS pitchers surrendered 11 runs (six earned) over four games and had a strikeout/walk ratio of 29/8.