JACKSONVILLE, IL --- On a cold, windy day in Jacksonville, Illinois, the Prairie Stars (8-8) battled the Missouri – St. Louis Tritons (5-7) in a non-divisional Great Lakes Valley match-up. UIS had already bested the Tritons 11-0 in Georgia, but the Tritons got the better of the Prairie Stars in round two, beating UIS 11-7.

Cole Taylor gave UIS an early 1-0 lead with a solo homerun in the bottom of the first inning --- one of his two extra base hits of the day.

UMSL responded with six unanswered runs to take a 6-1 lead in the top of the sixth, scoring a run in the second and third and two more in the fifth and sixth innings. These runs were aided by three UIS errors across those four innings.

In the sixth, down 6-1, UIS scored after Michael Rothmund tripled to left center field and came into score on an error by the UMSL second baseman.

In the eighth inning, UMSL rallied with two-outs and nobody on to score five runs and pushing the score to 11-2. UIS responded though, scoring four runs of their own in the bottom half, again beginning the rally with two-outs and nobody on.

Myles Hann doubled down the right field line and stole third before scoring on an error by the left fielder, who misplayed a fly ball. Troy Cantu singled in Schanding, who later scored on a single from Chris Mathieu. Taylor recorded his second extra base hit of the day with a ringing double off the left center wall, scoring Harper and making the score 11-6.

After Chase Lowman recorded a scoreless ninth, UIS scored again in the bottom half on a triple from Schanding, who drove in Austin Muench.

Mathieu, Taylor, and Schanding each had two hits on the day, all recording an extra base hit as well. Gunnar Kay (1-4) took the loss, throwing 4.2 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits. Kay struck out six. Sam Geraci threw 1.1 innings, and gave up two runs (one earned).

UIS will continue their spring break home stand with a 12:00 pm game at Lenz Field against Robert Morris-Springfield.