The University of Illinois Springfield softball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader on Thursday to Union (Tenn.) in Jackson, Tenn. The Prairie Stars lost the first game 7-4, and fell in the second by a 9-6 margin.
 
In the opening game, UIS trailed 5-1 in the fifth inning, but got back into the game with a big inning. The Prairie Stars scored three times and had bases loaded, but a pick off and a strikeout ended the threat. Union responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run homer, and UIS did not score in the final two at-bats.
 
Addison Bryant had two hits, and Madi Torry had one run and one RBI. Grace Harris, Morgan Edwards, and Ali Bortmess had the other runs, and Bryant and Calla Wickenhauser had the other RBI.
 
In the second game, UIS broke a 5-5 tie in the sixth inning when Bree Derhake drove in Ali Bortmess. The Prairie Stars were one-out away from making that the game-winning run, but Union hit a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh for a walk-off win.
 
Bortmess had a team-high two hits, and also had two RBI and the one run. Natalie Cokel also drove in two, and Wickenhauser had two runs in the game.
 
UIS falls to 11-11 on the season. The Prairie Stars begin GLVC play on Saturday at Bellarmine.