The University of Illinois Springfield baseball team had 20 hits in its home opener and it outscored Purdue Northwest by a 20-7 margin.
 
UIS got off to a big offensive start in the first inning with seven runs, including a grand slam by Chris Mathieu. It ended up scoring multiple runs in five different innings. Kal Youngquist and Nick Mayerhofer also homer for the Prairie Stars, and Brandon Bannon and Youngquist had doubles.
 
Chris Monroe matched Mathieu with four RBI, and Bannon, Youngquist, and Mayerhofer all had three RBI. Bannon, Monroe, Youngquist, and Mayerhofer each had a team-high three hits. Mayerhofer also had four runs, and Austin Alderman scored three times.
 
Jordan Mikel earned the win, allowing eight hits and four runs, three earned, in five innings. He struck out eight in the game.
 
UIS improves to 6-2 overall. The two teams will play a doubleheader again tomorrow starting at 11 a.m.