University of Illinois Springfield baseball pitcher Chad Saner threw a no-hitter on Sunday to highlight an afternoon sweep over Southwest Baptist. The Prairie Stars won the series after 7-0 and 10-5 wins in Bolivar, Mo.
 
Saner threw just the second no-hitter in UIS history in game one. He allowed just four walks in the contest and had nine strikeouts. He threw 98 pitches in the game, including 58 for strikes. He worked ahead most of the day, getting first-pitch strikes on 17 of 23 hitters. Saner threw his slider for strikes, and also had good command with his fastball. His fastball also held its velocity, with his final one on pitch 97 being 90 miles per hour.
 
Saner walked three batters in the first four innings, but only pitched to one batter above the minimum after picking one off and getting another out on a double play. In the fifth, he struck out the side, with each batter looking at the third strike. In the sixth, Saner allowed a two-out walk, but once again prevented a runner from even getting to second. In his final inning, he got a foul out, and two fly outs to complete the no-hitter, with the final out being caught by Tyler Acosta in center.
 
Chris Monroe capped a big game offensively in the top of the seventh with a grand slam. He had four hits and five RBI. Nick Mayerhofer and Kal Youngquist each had two hits, and Zion Pettigrew and Youngquist had one run and one RBI apiece.
 
UIS won the series with a victory in the second game on Sunday. The Prairie Stars led just 4-1 after five innings, but scored three runs in the sixth and ninth to pull away.
 
Pettigrew and Bobby Barnard each had three hits, with both players having a double and Pettigrew hitting a homer. Pettigrew had four BRI, and Asher Bradd had three runs and three RBI. Youngquist extended his hitting streak to 36 in the game.
 
Blake Begner earned the win on the mound, with Cameron Zunkel, Luke Fitton, and Mason Coon finishing the game in relief.
 
UIS improves to 28-4 on the season, and 24-4 in GLVC play. The Prairie Stars return home next week for four games against William Jewell.