The University of Illinois Springfield softball team split its home opening doubleheader on Tuesday at the LOLJOS complex in Springfield, Ill. The Prairie Stars dropped game one to Missouri Western by a 5-4 score, but bounced back for a 3-2 win in the second game.
 
In the opener, two home runs by Missouri Western cost the Prairie Stars the game. UIS led 2-0 in the fourth inning until the Griffons hit a two-out grand slam. The Prairie Stars tied the game in the bottom of that inning, and neither team scored for the rest of regulation. In extra innings, Missouri Western hit a solo homer to lead off that inning, and that run stood as the game-winner.
 
Ali Bortmess led the offense by going two-for-two with two RBI and one run. Natalie Cokel also drove in two. Hunter Niebrugge had two hits and scored once. Madi Torry and Calla Wickenhauser had the other runs.
 
In the second game, Missouri Western struck first with two runs in the third. UIS took the lead in the fourth after loading the bases with no out. One run scored on a sacrifice fly, and Carolyn Franke came through with a pinch-hit two-run single.
 
Payton Long did the rest on the mound for UIS. She entered the game in relief and did not allow a run for the final four innings. She gave up just one hit, and she struck out seven batters. Her final strikeout came on the final batter with the game-tying run on second.
 
Bree Derhake, Torry, and Haley Inman both had two hits. Torry, Cokel, and Inman scored the runs in the fourth inning, and Edwards had the other RBI.
 
UIS is now 11-9 on the season. The Prairie Stars will travel to Union (Tenn.) for a doubleheader on Thursday.