The University of Illinois Springfield softball team swept two games in Peoria, Ill. on Friday afternoon, including its first victory over the year over a nationally-ranked team. The Prairie Stars defeated No. 25 Winona State by a 4-3 margin, and knocked off Purdue Northwest by a 5-4 score.
 
The opener saw the two teams have a combined two hits through five innings. UIS trailed 1-0 in the top of the sixth when it broke through with a three-run inning. Carly Chovanec started the rally with a walk, and Bree Derhake followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Lakyn Wagoner then plated both with a two-run single. Wagoner stole second, and then after a walk to Danielle Dennis, the pair had a double steal. The throw to third was wild, allowing Wagoner to cross the plate.
 
Winona State hit a pair of solo homers in the next two frames to force extra innings. In the ninth, Wagoner was placed on second to start the inning with the international tiebreaker rules. Dennis doubled her home for the game-winning run.
 
Wagoner finished the game with two runs, two RBI, and a hit. Dennis had two hits and two walks in her four plate appearances. Payton Long earned the win, throwing the final three innings and allowing no runs and just two hits.
 
In the second game, UIS jumped out to a 4-0 lead and then held on late. The Pride got within 4-3 on a three-run homer in the fourth inning. UIS added an insurance run in the fifth, which it would need after Purdue Northwest scored once in the seventh. The Pride loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs, but UIS got the final out on a popout in the infield.
 
Wagoner was one-for-one with a homer, two walks, three runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI against Purdue Northwest. Emma Garcia had two hits, including a double, and Jess Jacobs hit a homer. Addison Bryant pitched the final four innings in relief for the win. She allowed just one run in the game.
 
UIS is now 7-4 on the season. The Prairie Stars head to Missouri next for five games, starting with a March 8 doubleheader at Northwest Missouri.