SPRINGFIELD, IL – University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) softball player Jaycee Craver fired a two-hitter as UIS swept the University of Missouri-St. Louis during Friday's Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) doubleheader.
 
"This was a huge sweep," UIS coach Shannon Guthrie said. "I was so happy to see our team bring the intensity for two straight games."
 
The Prairie Stars (18-9, 5-1) fought past the Tritons (16-14, 3-5) by a score of 5-4 in the opener. Craver (4-2) struck out six batters, issued two walks and gave up one run in seven innings as UIS took a 2-1 victory in Game 2.
 
"Jaycee really turned it on and dominated in the circle. I was so happy to see her attack and work her way out of jams."
 
During the doubleheader, the Prairie Stars only committed one error which resulted in just one unearned run.
 
"Our defense played great and everyone was ready to go."
 
GAME 1: UIS 5, UMSL 4
Morgan Edwards finished 2-for-3 and Calla Wickenhauser connected for a two-run double. Ali Haesele, Erin Stroup, Haley Inman, Hannah Kain, and Madi Torry each provided singles to round out UIS's eight hits.
 
"I'm really proud of our offense for executing their game plan. They knew what they wanted to do at the plate and executed what they had worked on at practice. That was great to see."
 
Jennah Perryman went 2-for-3 with a double and a two-run home run for UMSL. Andee Tiffee finished 2-for-3 with a two-run single. Reagan Osborn went 2-for-4 while Chelsea Martinez added a single to round out UMSL's seven hits.
 
Ali Haesele (11-4) picked up the win. She punched out seven batters, allowed one walk and surrendered four runs (three earned) on seven hits in seven innings.
 
Carly Kingery (4-3) took the loss. She totaled seven strikeouts, walked a batter and yielded five runs on eight hits in six innings.
 
UIS jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after Wickenhauser ripped a two-run double and Torry singled in a run.
 
"Calla [Wickenhauser] had a very key hit after getting down in the count and made it count."
 
Edwards drove in a run on a single in the third.
 
Perryman smacked a two-run homer in the fourth to cut UMSL's deficit to 4-2 in the fourth.
 
Stroup provided a run-scoring single in the fifth to put UIS ahead by three runs.
 
Tiffee cracked a two-run single to put UMSL within a run. The Tritons were unable to push another run across to tie the game.
 
GAME 2: UIS 2, UMSL 1
Lakyn Wagoner went 2-for-3 for the Prairie Stars. UIS also received hits from Edwards, Inman, Wickenhauser, Torry and Bree Derhake. The Prairie Stars tallied seven hits.
 
"Our offense generated runs by putting pressure on the defense and creating opprtunties."
 
UMSL recorded two hits. Perryman blasted a homer and Tiffee connected for a single.
 
Tiffee (8-5) was tagged with the loss. She punched out four batters, allowed a walk and yielded two runs on seven hits in six innings.
 
In the first, UIS loaded the bases on the opening three at bats. Haesele reached on a strikeout-wild pitch while Derhake and Wagoner followed up with singles. After the next two batters struck out, the Prairie Stars found their way on the scoreboard when Inman singled in a run.
 
During the second, Hunter Niebrugge led off with a walk and Torry moved Niebrugge to second on a sacrifice bunt, but Tiffee retired the next two batters.
 
Wagoner led off the third with a walk. Stroup moved Wagoner to second on a sacrifice bunt. Edwards singled on the next at bat to put runners on the corners. Edwards stole second and, on the throw, Wagoner took off for home. She stole home and gave UIS a 2-0 lead.
 
The Tritons cut their deficit to one when Perryman smashed a homer down the left-field line in the fourth.
 
During the bottom half of the inning, Niebrugge was hit by a pitch. Torri singled pinch runner Ali Bortmess to second on the next at bat, but Tiffee retired the next three batters.
 
Wickenhauser led off the sixth with a single. Alexa Brown moved Wickenhauser to second on a sacrifice bat and Wickenhauser reached third on a groundout, but Tiffee kept the insurance run off the board.
 
With one out in the seventh, Perryman drew a walk and Tiffee connected for a single on the next at bat. During the next at bat, Lizzy Miller reached base, but Perryman was ruled out at third on an interference call. Craver punched out the final batter to secure the sweep.
 
UP NEXT
 
UIS wraps up the weekend by hosting Maryville University (15-10-1, 3-5) on Sunday at 2 p.m. in a GLVC doubleheader.