SPRINGFIELD, IL – The University of Southern Indiana posted a shutout with a 3-0 victory against the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) softball team during the NCAA Division II Midwest Super-Regional on Friday.
 
Fifth-seeded Southern Indiana (36-23) followed up Thursday's 2-0 win against second-seeded UIS (40-19) with a victory to cap off a super-regional title and clinch a berth to the Division II Championship Tournament on May 24-28 in Salem, VA.
 
"A lot of credit goes to Southern Indiana," UIS coach Shannon Guthrie said. "They played solid in both games and just didn't make a mistake."
 
UIS, ranked No. 19 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Assoication (NFCA) NCAA Division II poll, closed out its best season in program history. The Prairie Stars claimed their first-ever regional title, captured their first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) regular-season crown, received their first-ever regional and national rankings while setting program records in wins and conference wins (22).
 
Jennifer Leonhardt (21-12) turned in her second-consecutive shutout for the Screaming Eagles. She struck out eight batters and allowed five hits in seven scoreless innings.
 
Natalie Cokel went 2-for-3 to lead the Prairie Stars. Lakyn Wagoner, Haley Inman and Bree Derhake also provided singles. The Prairie Stars compiled five hits.
 
Allison Schubert went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI for Southern Indiana. Mena Fulton connected on a two-run double. Claire Johnson rounded out Southern Indiana's six hits with a single.
 
Ali Haesele (25-11) suffered the loss. She struck out one batter, allowed two walks and conceded three runs on six hits in six innings.
 
Johnson drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Leonhardt moved Johnson over to second on a sacrifice bunt and Johnson advanced to third off a groundout. Haesele got the next batter to fly out and end the inning.
 
During the second, Haesele was hit by a pitch. She advanced to second on an error and Inman moved Haesele to third on a bunt single. Leonhardt then retired the next two batters.
 
"We had a few opportunities, but just couldn't scratch a run across. I thought our girls put it out there and gave it their best shot, but we came up short."
 
Fossett singled with one out in the bottom half of the inning and Taylor Ricketts reached on an error. Lindsey Barr moved Fossett over to third with two outs, but Haesele got out of the inning.
 
During the third, Johnson drew a walk and Leonhardt advanced Johnson to second on a sacrifice bunt. Schubert then connected on a run-scoring single.
 
Johnson led off the fifth with a single. Schubert contributed a two-out ground-rule double. Melton finished the job by ripping a two-run single.
 
Leonhardt capped off her second-consecutive shutout by retiring UIS's last seven batters.
 
UIS graduates seniors Haesele, Rachel Goff, Jordyn Larsen and Katie Wooldridge.
 
Haesele has received NFCA First-Team All-Midwest Region honors and Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) First-Team All-Midwest Region recognition. The Minier, IL native was also tabbed Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Pitcher of the Year and the UIS Female Athlete of the Year.
 
At the plate, Haesele is 68-for-202 with a .337 batting average on the season. She has tallied 19 doubles, 20 stolen bases and 33 RBIs. Haesele ranks third in the GLVC and is tied for 17th among NCAA Division II leaders in doubles.
 
In the pitcher's circle, Haesele has punched out 217 batters in 216 and two-thirds innings. Haesele has compiled a 2.13 ERA and a .222 opponent batting average on the season. Haesele ranks T-9 in the nation in wins and T-14 in the nation in strikeouts. Among GLVC leaders, Haesele ranks first in wins, third in ERA, third in strikeouts and fifth in strikeouts per seven innings (7.01).
 
In UIS all-time history, Haesele ranks first in strikeouts (359), first in strikeouts per seven innings (6.78), first in wins (42), first in ERA (2.13), first in opponent batting average (.225), T-2 in shutouts (10), third in career batting average (.317), fourth in doubles (27), T-5 in triples (5), seventh in hits (113), seventh in total bases (171) and ninth in stolen bases (27).
 
Among UIS single-season leaders, Haesele ranks first in wins, first in doubles, second in ERA, second in opponent batting average (.222), second in strikeouts per seven innings, second in hits, second in runs (41), second in total bases (104), third in shutouts (6), third in fewest walks allowed per seven innings (1.23), T-4 in triples (4), T-8 in stolen bases, 10th in batting average and T-10 in RBIs.
 
Wooldridge is 20-for-80 on the season with 13 RBIs, four sacrifice hits and a .250 batting average. The Godfrey, IL native was named to the All-GLVC Third Team at second base in 2017 after compiling a .338 batting average which is the eighth-highest single-season batting average in school history.
 
Rachel Goff is 3-3 on the season. She has spent time as both a hitter and pitcher throughout her career. Among UIS career leaders, the Edwardsville, IL native ranks T-3 in saves (3), fourth in sacrifice hits (13), fifth in opponent batting average (.298) sixth in ERA (3.46), T-9 in doubles (18) and 10th in wins (7).
 
Larsen has contributed seven hits and two sacrifice hits for the Prairie Stars this season. The Channahon, IL is tied for sixth in UIS history with 10 career sacrifice hits.
 
The Prairie Stars are expected to return 18 players for the 2018-19 season.
 
"I'm really proud of everything this team has accomplished this entire year. It has been a banner year for UIS softball and there is so much to celebrate. It's hard to say goodbye to such an incredible group of seniors. They paved the way and set a new standard for future teams. I wish our seniors nothing but the best. They are a remarkable group and will always be Prairie Stars."