The University of Illinois Springfield softball team ended its first weekend of the year with a 4-1 record. On the final day of the Alvy Early Memorial Classic, the Prairie Stars defeated Upper Iowa, before a narrow loss to the No. 1 team in NCAA Division II.
 
In the opener, UIS scored in every inning and defeated Upper Iowa by an 8-0 margin.
 
Offensively, Danielle Dennis hit two home runs, and finished with two runs and three RBI. Carly Chovanec and Zoie Bowman also hit homers, and Chovanec finished with two runs and two RBI. Carolyn Franke and Ramsey Armstrong both had a pair of hits.
 
On the mound, Payton Long had a shutout, going five innings and allowing just five hits. She struck out three and did not walk a batter.
 
In game two on Sunday, the Prairie Stars fell to No. 1 UT Tyler by a 7-4 margin. UIS led 4-2 after its at-bat in the fourth inning, but UT Tyler went ahead with five runs in the bottom half of the inning. In the seventh, the Prairie Stars brought the tying run to the plate, before the Pioneers shut the door.
 
Dennis hit another homer, as did Kaya Diederich. Dennis finished with two hits, and Diederich had two RBI. Reagan Miles threw 2 1/3 innings, and did not allow a run, while striking out three.
 
UIS is off next weekend before heading to the Blue Bridge Battle in Owensboro, Ky.