KENOSHA, WI --- The Prairie Stars (26-15, 15-5) have now won five straight games, tied for the longest streak in the GLVC, after completing a four-game sweep of the Rangers of Wisconsin-Parkside with victories of 11-8 and 12-2. UIS used a seven-run fourth inning to take control in game one before scoring six in the eighth in game two to complete the sweep. UIS sits in a tie atop the GLVC east standings with Southern Indiana.

GAME ONE: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 11, WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE 8
The Prairie Stars opened the scoring in the third inning when Cole Taylor drove in the games first run with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring John Sechen. In the fourth, UIS put the merry-go-round in motion, starting with a walk to Myles Hann. All with two-outs, Sechen singled home Hann, who then came into score with Zach Patterson on a double from Austin Muench.

After loading the bases, Trey Hannam doubled in two-runs to make it 6-0 before Ben Schanding closed the scoring with a two-RBI single. In the inning, UIS scored seven runs on five hits and walked four times.
Michael Rothmund singled in another run in the fifth to push the score to 9-0 while Adam Gregory kept shutting out the Rangers on the mound.

After Gregory was pulled after five scoreless innings, Parkside put five on the board in the sixth inning to make the score 9-5 but UIS plated two more runs in the seventh to make the score 11-5. The Rangers scored three more times in the seventh but it wasn't enough, falling 11-8.

Five different players had multiple hits for UIS, led by Muench with a 3-for-4 effort, scoring twice and driving in two. Hannam had three RBI while Taylor, Rothmund, and Sechen all added two runs.

Gregory (8-2) picked up the win, throwing five complete, allowing just three hits and no runs. The lefty struck out five in the outing.

GAME TWO: ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD 12, WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE 2
UIS opened up game two with two runs in the first, scoring a run on a single from Hann while another came in on an ensuing throwing error from the Rangers.

In the second, Muench hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Chris Mathieu on the play to take a 3-0 lead.

The Rangers scored a run in the fourth but UIS came back with two in the fifth on a single from James Battley, pushing the score to 5-1. After the Rangers plated another run in the fifth, UIS responded with a run in the sixth off a triple from Rothmund, his fourth of the season.

In the eighth, UIS kept piling on the runs, with RBI's coming from Hannam, Hann, Schanding, Battley, and Mathieu.

The offensive outburst cannot overshadow the job Brayden Jensen did on the mound, throwing seven innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits. Jensen (5-0) kept his perfect record on the mound, striking out five before giving way to R.D. Lutze, who finished the weekend, throwing a scoreless final inning.

Seven players recorded two hits for UIS in game two with four players crossing the plate at least twice. The Prairie Stars continue their assault on GLVC pitching, hitting .328 against conference pitching.

UIS is tied atop the standings in the GLVC with Southern Indiana, but more importantly, sit six games up on the Greyhounds, who are currently two games back in the loss column for the final playoff spot.

UIS will host Saint Joseph's next weekend for their final GLVC home stand with games on Saturday and Sunday. Senior day ceremonies will precede the games on Sunday, as UIS will recognize the efforts for the seniors on this year's team.