ROSEMONT, IL – The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) softball team tallied wins against Walsh University and Lindenwood University top open the Lewis Flyers D-2 Midwest Region Dome Invitational on Friday.
 
UIS (4-2) topped Walsh (1-1) 5-1 and rounded out the day with a 5-0 win against Lindenwood (4-2).
 
UIS 5, WALSH 1
Ali Haesele led the Prairie Stars, going 2-for-2 with a two-run double and three RBIs. Madi Torry, Jordyn Larsen, Lakyn Wagoner, Bree Derhake, Hannah Kain and Erin Stroup each contributed hits to round out UIS's eight hits.
 
Jessie Rock finished 2-for-4 with an RBI single for Walsh. Brooke Six went 2-for-4 while Kelsey Putman finished 2-for-3 with a double. Alaina Manor and Abbie Yaughter each added singles. Walsh put together eight hits.
 
Rachel Goff (1-1) secured the win. She struck out two batters, allowed two walks and gave up one run on five hits in four and two-thirds innings. Jaycee Craver picked up her first save of the season. She fanned two batters and issued three hits in two and one-third scoreless innings.
 
Ryan Kuula (0-1) took the loss. She recorded a strikeout, yielded three walks and gave up three runs on two hits in one and one-third innings. Katie Herrick struck out a batter, allowed two walks and surrendered two runs on four hits in one and two-thirds innings. Olivia Pifer tossed three scoreless innings. She punched out a batter, allowed one walk and two hits.
 
Rock put Walsh on the board in the top of the first with a run-scoring single.
 
The Prairie Stars evened the score in the bottom of the first with an RBI groundout from Morgan Edwards.
 
During the second, Stroup and Haesele both singled in runs to put UIS ahead 3-1.
 
Haesele belted a two-run double in the third.
 
UIS 5, LINDENWOOD 0
Haesele finished 2-for-3 with a double and two-run single. Hannah Kain produced a double while Torry and Natalie Cokel registered singles, rounding out UIS's five hits.
 
Lindenwood's Hanna Porter went 3-for-3 with a double. The Lions compiled seven hits.
 
Haesele (2-1) put together a shutout. She fanned five batters, issued one walk and gave up seven hits in seven innings.
 
Marina Esparza (0-1) took the loss. She struck out a batter, yielded two walks and surrendered five runs (two earned) on five hits in three and two-thirds innings. Kimberly Fozzard retired each of the seven batters she faced. She punched out three batters in two and one-third innings.
 
Haesele put UIS on the board in the bottom of the first after scoring off a wild pitch.
 
The Prairie Stars posted four runs in the fourth. Stroup scored after Derhake reached base on a dropped fly the ball. Cokel singled in a run and Haesele contributed a two-run single.
 
UP NEXT
On Saturday, the Prairie Stars clash with Wayne State University (0-2) at 11 a.m. and Grand Valley State University (2-2) at 3:30 a.m. UIS closes out the Lewis Flyers D-2 Midwest Region Dome Invitational by taking on the University of Findlay (2-2) on Sunday at 9 a.m. Wayne State is ranked No. 15 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II poll.