Box Score SPRINGFIELD, IL – Fifth-seeded University of Southern Indiana battled past second-seeded University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) softball team during the NCAA Division II Midwest Super-Regional on Thursday.
 
Jennifer Leonhardt (20-12) completed the shutout for Southern Indiana (35-23). She struck out 10 batters, gave up one walk and allowed three hits in seven innings.
 
The Prairie Stars (40-18), ranked No. 19 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II poll, received singles from Calla Wickenhauser, Haley Inman and Morgan Edwards to finish with three hits.
 
UIS's Jaycee Craver faced the first two batters of the game and walked one batter. Ali Haesele (25-10) suffered the loss. She fanned two batters, conceded one walk and yielded two runs on four hits in seven innings.

"Ali pitched great, allowing only four hits and working out of big jams," UIS coach Shannon Guthrie said. "Leonhardt one-upped her, only allowing three hits."
 
Allison Schubert produced a two-run double for the Screaming Eagles. Claire Johnson provided a double while Taylor Ricketts and Olivia Clark-Kittleson rounded out Southern Indiana's four hits with singles.
 
Claire Johnson drew a leadoff walk in the top of the first inning. Leonhardt laid down a sacrifice bunt, but ended up reaching first on a throwing error. Haesele came in and retired the next three batters to get out of the inning.
 
During the third, Kittleson led off with a single and Johnson followed up with a double. Leonhardt reached on an error to load the bases with zero outs. Schubert ripped a one-out two-run double to put Southern Indiana on the board. Mena Fulton drew a walk to load the bases, but Haesele managed to escape the rest of the inning.
 
UIS presented a threat in the bottom of the third. Inman led off the inning with a single. Hannah Kain put down a sacrifice bunt but managed to reach on an error. Edwards cracked a single to load the bases with zero outs, but Leonhardt came out of the inning unscathed.
 
Leonhardt shut down the final nine batters of the game to seal the victory.
 
Both teams clash in Game 2 of the super-regional on Friday at 12 p.m. at the Land of Lincoln Softball Complex. UIS can create an if necessary game with a win. In the event of a UIS win, both teams would square off in Game 3 on Friday at 2:30 p.m.

"We need to learn from our at bats [on Thursday] and make the adjustment [on Friday]."