SPRINGFIELD, IL – The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) softball team face the University of Southern Indiana and McKendree University in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) doubleheaders this weekend.
 
SETTING THE SCENE
UIS (20-9, 7-1) tangles with Southern Indiana (14-13, 3-5) on Friday in a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Evansville, IN. The Prairie Stars then challenge McKendree (22-7, 8-2) on Saturday in a 12 p.m. doubleheader at Lebanon, IL. McKendree is ranked No. 25 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II poll.
 
WHAT'S HAPPENING LATELY
The Prairie Stars fought to a 5-4 victory and a 2-1 win against the University of Missouri-St. Louis (18-14, 5-5) (UMSL) last Friday. Jaycee Craver (5-2) put together a two-hitter during last Friday's 2-1 victory.
 
Last Sunday, UIS blanked Maryville University (16-13-1, 3-7) in an 8-0 decision in six innings during Game 1. Ali Haesele (12-4) fired a near perfect game, retiring 18 of the 19 batters she faced while striking out 12. Morgan Edwards also blasted two home runs in Game 1. The Prairie Stars completed the sweep with a 6-0 win in Game 2.
 
Craver was named the GLVC Pitcher of the Week and the Fastpitch News NCAA Division II Pitcher of the Week. The junior from Pekin, IL went 2-0, fanned 13 batters, issued three walks and gave up one run on five hits in 14 innings last week. Craver compiled an ERA of 0.50 and an opponent batting average of .111 last week.
 
Southern Indiana took a pair of 6-5 losses to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (14-14, 5-5) last Saturday. The Screaming Eagles then fell to No. 11 University of Indianapolis (25-5, 9-1) in 5-2 and 1-8 decisions.
 
McKendree secured 9-1 and 8-5 victories against Lewis University (14-14, 3-7) last Friday. The Bearcats then battled to 4-2 and 5-4 wins against Wisconsin-Parkside last Sunday.
 
STARS OF NOTE
Craver has five saves on the season, which leads the GLVC and is tied for third among NCAA Division II leaders.
 
Haesele currently leads the conference in opponent batting average (.192) and is tied for first in the GLVC with four shutouts. Among GLVC leaders, the senior from Minier, IL ranks second in ERA (1.83), second in wins, sixth in strikeouts per seven innings (6.9) and seventh in walks allowed per seven innings (1.31). Haesele also ranks third in the GLVC with 15 stolen bases. She has contributed a team-high seven doubles this season.
 
Erin Stroup is leading the team in batting average (.403), on-base percentage (.463) and slugging percentage (.597). The sophomore from Sterling, IL is tied for second in the GLVC in triples (4).
 
Edwards leads the team in homers (4) and Calla Wickenhauser leads the Prairie Stars in RBIs (20).
 
The Prairie Stars currently rank second in the GLVC with 1.69 stolen bases per game and 0.41 triples per game.
 
A LOOK AT SOUTHERN INDIANA
Jennifer Leonhardt (6-7) holds a 3.57 ERA and has tossed two shutouts. She ranks fourth in the GLVC with 7.8 strikeouts per seven innings.
 
Allison Schubert leads the Screaming Eagles at the plate. Among GLVC leaders, Schubert ranks second in home runs per game (0.30), third in slugging percentage (.768) and fifth in RBIs per game (1.00). She also has 63 total bases on the season.
 
Claire Johnson is tied for first in the nation with six triples on the season. She also ranks third in the conference with 0.93 runs scored per game.
 
Leonhardt is tied for second in the GLVC with four triples.
 
Southern Indiana leads the conference with 0.59 triples per game.
 
A LOOK AT MCKENDREE
Miranda Gajewski (13-1) leads the conference in wins and ERA (1.63). She also ranks second in the GLVC with a .207 opponent batting average. On the offensive end, Miranda Gajewski ranks T-4 in the conference with 11 doubles and fifth in the conference with 39 hits.
 
Maci Ingram (1-1) is tied for first in the conference and tied for third in the nation with five saves. In 17 and one-third innings, Ingram has punched out 30 batters, allowed a .125 batting average and put together a 0.40 ERA.
 
Among GLVC leaders, Rebecca Franke ranks second in on-base percentage (.528), third in batting average (.440) and T-4 in hits (40). She has contributed 10 doubles on the season.
 
Brooke Gajewsski ranks fourth in the conference with seven homers. Hannah Murphy has delivered five home runs on the season.
 
McKendree leads the conference in ERA (2.46) and home runs per game (0.97). Among GLVC leaders, the Bearcats rank second in slugging percentage (.478), third in runs per game (5.52) and third in doubles per game (1.62).
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Prairie Stars face off with Indianapolis next Saturday in a 12 p.m. doubleheader at the Land of Lincoln Softball Complex. UIS rounds out the week by tangling with Bellarmine University (10-16, 1-7) next Sunday in a 12 p.m. doubleheader at the Land of Lincoln Softball Complex.
 
HOW TO WATCH
Friday – UIS at Southern Indiana (Live Video) (Live Stats)
Saturday – UIS at McKendree (Live Video) (Live Stats)