The University of Illinois Springfield baseball team got off to a good start at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional #2 Tournament on Thursday in Detroit, Mich. The Prairie Stars defeated Ashland by a 10-6 score in their first game at the event.
 
UIS got on the board first in the second inning when Nick Mayerhofer singled in Anthony DeConcilis. Deconcilis started the rally with a one-out double. Ashland tied the game in the top of the third with an unearned run.
 
In the bottom of the third, Brandon Bannon and Zion Pettigrew both reached base to lead off the inning. With one out, Kal Youngquist grounded into a fielder's choice. The defender tried to throw behind Bannon at third, but the ball got away allowing Bannon to score.
 
The next two batters reached for UIS, loading the bases for Hunter Phelps. Phelps connected on a pitch and it went over the left-field fence. The grand slam put UIS ahead 6-1. It was also a historic one, setting a NCAA Division II single-season record by being the tenth grand slam hit by the Prairie Stars this year.
 
Quinn Gudaitis gave UIS a good start on the mound. Through five innings, he scattered five hits, struck out four, and allowed just the one unearned run. In the sixth, Guadaitis struck out the first batter for his fifth strikeout, but two walks and a hit loaded the bases. UIS went to its bullpen, and got the second out on a fielder's choice that scored one run. The next hitter though hit a three-run homer to get Ashland back in the contest at 8-5.
 
In the biggest inning of the game, the Prairie Stars quickly regained the momentum in the bottom of the sixth. Youngquist hit a solo homer in left center for one run. After UIS loaded the bases, Asher Bradd hit a ball in the hole on the left-side. The fielder tried to get the force out, but the throw was late giving UIS a five-run cushion.
 
That was all the offense that UIS needed, as Mason Coon came into the game and pitched the final three innings for a save. He held the Eagles scoreless in the seventh and eighth. In the ninth, Ashland got its first two runners on, but Coon recorded three straight outs to seal the victory.
 
Offensively, UIS finished the game with 11 hits, and it drew nine walks. Every starter but one got at least one hit. The one who didn't was Bannon who reached three times on walks, and scored twice. Youngquist, Brant Vanaman, and Deconcilis also scored twice. Pettigrew, Vanaman, and Mayerhofer all finished with two hits and one RBI.
 
UIS improves to 44-8 on the season. The Prairie Stars will move on and face the winner of today's Wayne State/Walsh game at 2:30 p.m. (eastern) on Friday afternoon.