SPRINGFIELD, IL – The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) softball team draws Missouri S&T to open the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) softball tournament.
 
SETTING THE SCENE
UIS (35-14, 22-6) is scheduled to encounter Missouri S&T (25-25, 14-14) on Thursday at 10 a.m. on Field 2 at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, IL. The Prairie Stars earned the No. 1 seed and are fresh off their first-ever GLVC regular-season title. Missouri S&T secured the No. 8 seed. UIS is ranked No. 18 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division II poll and is ranked No. 2 in the latest NCAA Midwest Region poll.
 
"Missouri S&T will undoubtedly be a very tough opponent," UIS coach Shannon Guthrie said. "The first series we played with them was an even split with both of us taking a game. That was our first conference game of the season and I'm sure we're both a little bit of a different team at this point in the season."
 
STARS OF NOTE
Ali Haesele leads the Prairie Stars with a 21-7 record and a 2.16 ERA. The senior from Minier, IL has struck out 186 batters and allowed 53 earned runs in 171 and two-thirds innings pitched. Haesele has compiled a 1.08 WHIP and a .232 opponent batting average. She is tied for 16th in the nation in wins. Among GLVC leaders, Haesele ranks first in wins, third in ERA and fifth in strikeouts per seven innings (7.6).
 
At the plate, Haesele is 62-for-168 on the season with 18 doubles, four triples and a .369 batting average. Haesele ranks third in the conference with 0.37 doubles per game. She leads the team with 18 stolen bases and 37 runs scored.
 
Jaycee Craver holds a 10-4 record and a 3.10 ERA. The junior from Pekin, IL leads the GLVC and is tied for fifth in the nation with six saves. Craver has fanned 68 batters and yielded 47 earned runs in 106 innings.
 
Erin Stroup is 53-for-141 on the season with eight triples, a .376 batting average and a team-high .429 on-base percentage. The sophomore from Sterling, IL leads the conference and is tied for ninth in the nation with 0.17 triples per game.
 
Calla Wickenhauser is 49-for-140 on the season with four triples and a .350 batting average. She leads the team in home runs (8), RBIs (34) and slugging percentage (.636).
 
Lakyn Wagoner is 61-for-162 at the plate this season. She leads the Prairie Stars in batting average (.377) and total bases (96).
 
Bree Derhake is 47-for-142 with a .331 batting average, Hannah Kain is 29-for-93 with a .312 batting average, Morgan Edwards if 41-for-134 with a .306 batting average and Madi Torry is 28-for-113 with a .248 batting average.
 
Rachel Goff is 3-3 on the season with a 5.12 ERA.
 
UIS ranks sixth in the nation with 0.47 triples per game. Among GLVC leaders, the Prairie Stars rank first in batting average (.320), first in scoring (5.57), first in slugging percentage (.471), first in triples per game, second in on-base percentage (.380) and third in stolen bases per game (1.31).
 
After taking the GLVC regular-season crown, the Prairie Stars have their sights set on capturing the GLVC Tournament and clinching their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
 
"We just need to take care ourselves and play our game. When we come out attacking our game plan we are as dangerous as anyone. It starts with our effort and enthusiasm and that's when we play our best and play together."
 
A LOOK AT MISSOURI S&T
Olivia Young is 52-for-160 with 13 homers, 53 RBIs and a .325 batting average. She leads the conference in RBIs and ranks third in the GLVC with 0.26 home runs per game.
 
Avery English is 17-12 with three saves and 2.75 ERA. She holds a 1.30 WHIP and has punched out 116 batters in 201 innings.
 
Abby Klein is 43-for-99 at the plate this season to lead the Miners with a .434 batting average.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
UIS's second Thursday game will be slated against the team with the same result as UIS in the matchup between fourth-seeded University of Missouri-St. Louis (30-20, 17-11) and fifth-seeded Truman State University (26-18, 15-13). Missouri-St. Louis is ranked No. 5 in the Midwest Region while Truman State is ranked No. 8.
 
A LOOK AT MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
Andee Tiffee is 13-8 with three saves and a 2.87 ERA. She has struck out 166 batters and issued 51 earned runs in 124 and one-third innings. Tiffee ranks first in the conference and fourth in the nation with 9.3 strikeouts per seven innings. She is also tied for third in the conference in saves.
 
Carly Kingery holds a 13-6 record with a 2.47 ERA and a .217 opponent batting average. She has fanned 169 batters in 140 and two-thirds innings. Kingery ranks third in the GLVC and 12th in the nation with 8.4 strikeouts per seven innings.
 
Serena Olson is 54-for-151 with 17 homers, 52 RBIs and a .358 batting average. Among GLVC leaders, Olson ranks first in home runs, second in RBIs and second in slugging percentage (.781). Olson ranks 11th in the nation with 0.34 home runs per game.
 
Jennah Perryman is 57-for-168 with 20 doubles, 10 homers, 49 RBIs and a .339 batting average. She ranks 16th in the nation with 0.40 doubles per game. Among GLVC leaders, Perryman ranks second in doubles and third in RBIs per game (0.98).
 
Chelsea Martinez is 58-for-170 with 15 doubles, 42 RBIs and a .341 batting average.
 
Among GLVC leaders, Missouri-St. Louis ranks second in doubles per game (1.66), second in home runs per game (0.78), second in slugging percentage (.454), third in batting average (.305) and third in on-base percentage (.365).
 
A LOOK AT TRUMAN STATE
Christa Reisinger is 64-for-136 on the season with four triples, 10 homers and a .471 batting average. She has stolen 37 bases on 39 attempts, which puts her first in the GLVC and ninth in the nation with 0.84 stolen bases per game. Reisinger ranks sixth in the nation in on-base percentage (.565) and 11th in batting average. Among GLVC leaders, Reisinger ranks first in batting average, first in on-base percentage first in slugging percentage (.787) and fourth in home runs per game (0.23).
 
Alyssa Hajduk is 12-6 with a 2.46 ERA. She has punched out 109 batters and allowed 41 earned runs in 116 and two-thirds innings, which amounts to 6.5 strikeouts per seven innings. Hajduk ranks fourth in the GLVC with a .214 opponent batting average.
 
Lauren Dale is 11-9 with a 2.59 ERA. She has struck out 42 batters and allowed 49 earned runs in 132 and two-thirds innings.
 
GLVC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
 
Thursday, May 3 – EastSide Centre – East Peoria, IL
Game #1: No. 8 Missouri S&T vs. No. 1 UIS (10 a.m., Field #2)
Game #2: No. 5 Truman State vs. No. 4 Missouri-St. Louis (10 a.m., Field #4)
Game #3: No. 7 William Jewell College (28-20, 15-13) vs. No. 2 McKendree University (37-14, 20-8) (12 p.m., Field #2)
Game #4: No. 6 University of Southern Indiana (27-22, 15-13) vs. No. 3 University of Indianapolis (36-16, 18-10) (12 p.m., Field #4)
Game #5: Game #1 Loser vs. Game #2 Loser (2 p.m., Field #2)
Game #6: Game #3 Loser vs. Game #4 Loser (2 p.m., Field #4)
Game #7: Game #1 Winner vs. Game #2 Winner (4 p.m., Field #2)
Game #8: Game #3 Winner vs. Game #4 Winner (4 p.m., Field #4)
 
Friday, May 4 – EastSide Centre – East Peoria, IL
Game #9: Game #5 Winner vs. Game #8 Loser (11 a.m., Field #2)
Game #10: Game #6 Winner vs. Game #7 Loser (11 a.m., Field #4)
Game #11: Game #7 Winner vs. Game #8 Winner (1 p.m., Field #2)
Game #12: Game #9 Winner vs. Game #10 Winner (3 p.m., Field #2)
Game #13: Game #12 Winner vs. Game #11 Loser (5 p.m., Field #2)
 
Saturday, March 5 – EastSide Centre – East Peoria, IL
Game #14: Game #13 Winner vs. Game #11 Winner (12 p.m., Field #2)
Game #15: Game #14 Loser vs. Game #14 Winner (2 p.m., Field #2, if necessary)