The University of Illinois Springfield baseball team outlasted Lewis in a first-round game at the GLVC Tournament. The Prairie Stars survived by an 11-10 score.
 
The Prairie Stars fell in a 5-1 hole as they could not catch a break in the first three innings. Lewis opened up the game with a four-run first inning, and UIS stranded seven runners in that span.

Nick Mayerhofer changed the team's fortunes in the fourth. The shortstop led off the inning with a walk, and came around to score three batters later. UIS would eventually tie the game and bring Mayerhofer around to bat again with the bases loaded. He lined a single to right center, and with some aggressive base running, all three runners scored to give the Prairie Stars an 8-5 advantage.
 
Lewis did not go away easily, cutting UIS's lead to one at both 8-7 and 9-8. In the seventh, a Lewis error extended the inning and loaded the bases. Brandon Bannon delivered a two-run single to right to give UIS an 11-8 lead.
 
That proved big after the Flyers crossed the plate twice in the top of the eighth. In the ninth, Lewis loaded the bases with one out. Cade Sestak got a force out at home for the second out. Cameron Zunkel then entered the game and got a strikeout on four pitches for the save.
 
Zion Pettigrew led the offense by reaching base on five of his six plate appearances. He had three hits, two runs, and one RBI. Bannon finished with three hits as well. Asher Bradd and Chris Mathieu had two runs apiece, and Chris Monroe and Mayerhofer had three RBI.
 
Mason Coon earned the win, throwing 2 1/3 innings of relief. He allowed two hits and one run, and struck out four.
 
UIS improves to 35-5 on the season. The Prairie Stars next face Indianapolis on Friday at 7:30 p.m.