The University of Illinois Springfield softball team struck first in its first round GLVC Tournament game against No. 7 Indianapolis, but the Greyhounds came back for a victory over the Prairie Stars. UIS lost its conference tournament opener by a 9-4 score.
 
UIS needed just five batters to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Calla Wickenhauser, Ashley Klinzing, and Danielle Dennis all reached base with no outs. After a strikeout, Carolyn Franke hit a grand slam over the center field fence to give the Prairie Stars an early advantage.
 
Indianapolis had too much fire power though for the lead to last. The Greyhounds hit five home runs to account for all nine of their runs.
 
The big inning in the game was the third. In the top half of the inning, UIS got two on and chased the Indianapolis starting pitcher from the game. The Prairie Stars, though, could not get a hit off the Greyhounds' reliever in the final 4 2/3 innings, including stranding both of those runners in the third. In the bottom half of the inning, Indianapolis hit a pair of two-run homers to take the lead for good.
 
UIS falls to 19-26 on the season. The Prairie Stars will face Maryville on Thursday night in an elimination game.