The University of Illinois Springfield baseball team begins postseason play this week. The Prairie Stars will travel to St. Charles, Mo. for the 2021 GLVC Baseball Tournament.
 
The Prairie Stars are the top seed out of the Green Division. In Thursday's opening round, UIS will take on the fourth seed out of the Blue Division, Lewis. Round two of the double-elimination tournament will continue on Friday, and the event will run through the championship game on Sunday.
 
UIS enters the postseason with a 34-5 overall record, its second-best regular season winning percentage in program history. The Prairie Stars went 30-5 in GLVC play this year and won their regular season division title. UIS was ranked fourth in the nation in last week's national poll.
 
UIS has a balanced team, with each area of the squad ranking among the nation's leaders. The Prairie Stars currently have the number four scoring offense in NCAA Division II, the number seven pitching staff in terms of ERA, and the 11^th-best fielding percentage.
 
Offensively, the Prairie Stars are led by Zion Pettigrew, who currently leads the nation with a 1.049 slugging percentage. He is also in the top-10 in NCAA Division II in home runs, runs, and RBI per game. Pettigrew currently leads the GLVC with a .467 batting average, just .002 ahead of teammate Kal Youngquist. Youngquist leads the conference in total RBI with 56.
 
On the mound, the trio of starters in Chad Sander, Colton Hale, and Blake Begner are a combined 21-1 this season, and each pitcher has an ERA below 3.30. Saner is holding opponents to a .174 batting average, and Hale and Begner each have a .229 opponent batting average.
 
UIS is making its sixth all-time GLVC Tournament appearance, including its fifth straight. The Prairie Stars are 5-9 all-time in the tournament, including a 5-5 record in their last three showings. In 2019, UIS reached the championship game before falling to Bellarmine by a 4-3 score.
 
*80 spectators per team, per game will be admitted, but they must be on a "will-call" list prior to arrival by contacting the coaching staff. Social distancing will be required inside the stadium. Spectators must exit the facility immediately following each game. The tournament pass will be $35, and single-game tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and military, $5 for students and youth, and free for kids five and under.

UIS vs. Lewis
Date/Time/Location: Thursday, May 13, 7:30 p.m. – St. Charles, Mo.
Streaming: https://glvcsn.com/
Live Stats: https://glvcsports.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
All-Time Series: Lewis leads 18-16 (First meeting in GLVC Tournament)

Lewis enters the postseason with a 23-16 overall record, including an 18-14 GLVC mark which tied the team for third in the GLVC Blue Division.
 
Lewis ranks in the top-four in the GLVC in both pitching and offense. It is third in the conference with a 4.79 ERA, and ranks third with 8.2 runs a game.
 
Michael O'Brien is the top offensive threat. He has a .341 batting average, and team-highs with 40 runs and 47 RBI. Jake Karaba is the team's pitching ace. He has a 2.39 ERA and a .203 opponent batting average.
 
Lewis leads the all-time series by an 18-16 mark, but the Prairie Stars have won 13 out of the last 15 meetings. The two teams have never met in the GLVC Tournament.
 
Earlier this season in Romeoville, Ill., UIS won three of four games against the Flyers. UIS won the opener 5-3, Lewis won game two by a 12-10 margin, and the Prairie Stars swept the final two games by scores of 13-5 and 10-8.
 
In that series, Zion Pettigrew batted .556 with a 1.278 slugging percentage for UIS. He had eight runs and five RBI. Kal Youngquist drove in seven in the series. Those two players had four of the team's eight homers.
 
Rest of the Field
#1 Seed (Blue) – Lindenwood (UIS did not play this year)
#2 Seed (Blue)- Indianapolis (UIS did not play this year)
#3 Seed (Blue)- Southern Indiana (UIS won three of four games this year)
#2 Seed (Green)- Quincy (UIS won two of three games this year)
#3 Seed (Green)- Rockhurst (UIS won three of four games this year)
#4 Seed (Green)- Missouri S&T (UIS won four of four games this year)
 
Up Next
The winner of the GLVC Tournament will receive an automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Division II National Tournament.