The University of Illinois Springfield baseball team won its weekend series at Newman after splitting Sunday's doubleheader. The Prairie Stars lost game one by a 9-6 margin, but won the rubber contest by a 3-2 score.
 
In the first game, UIS erased a 5-1 deficit to tie the game in the seventh inning. Chris Monroe hit his second grand slam in two days in the seventh to knot the score at five. Newman scored twice though in the seventh and eighth to regain a four-run lead.
 
In the ninth, the Prairie Stars pushed one run across and got the tying run to the plate, but couldn't push any more runs across.
 
Asher Bradd had a three-hit performance, and scored three times. Nick Mayerhofer also had two hits and delivered the fifth RBI for UIS. Colton Hale had the best relief appearance, striking out three batters and allowing just one hit in one inning.
 
In the second game, UIS scored all of the runs it needed in the first inning. The Prairie Stars took advantage of three errors for all three of its runs. Nick Wisz had a big two-out double to score one run, and a passed ball scored what turned out to be the game-winner.
 
Joe Dittmar earned the win after pitching five innings and allowing just one hit and one run. He struck out six batters on the day. Christian Stelling earned the save after getting the final six outs, including four on strikeouts. An error and a walk put two runners on in the ninth, but Stelling struck out the final two batters to end the series.
 
UIS is 2-1 on the young season. The Prairie Stars next travel to West Virginia next weekend for two games each against West Virginia State and Saginaw Valley State.