No. 5 Illinois Springfield baseball has won its first two GLVC series of the season after taking three out of four games versus Lewis in Romeoville, Ill. this week.
GAME ONE (W, 12-2)
In the first contest, UIS dominated with thirteen hits and twelve runs. Lewis earned four hits and scored one run.
Mike O'Conor led the game with four of the team's ten RBIs. O'Conor was one of two Prairie Stars to hit a home run in game one as
Peyton Dillingham went deep in the second inning. Six Prairie Stars crossed home plate in the third inning to build a nine-run lead.Â
Chad Saner (3-1) earned his third win of the spring after allowing just two hits in his four innings on the mound. '
GAME TWO (L, 2-0)
The Prairie Stars dropped game two after earning just two hits in the contest. Lewis scored one run in each of the first and sixth innings. UIS earned their first two hits of the game in the top of the seventh when
Brandon Bannon singled up the middle before stealing second.
Brant Vanaman also singled, and the Prairie Stars left both runners on base.
Ryan Carmack moved to 2-1 on the season after pitching four innings.
GAME THREE (W, 8-5)
Lewis scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to get on the board.
Brant Vanaman scored in the top of the fourth and the Prairie Stars left one runner on base. Lewis built a four-run lead before UIS responded with four runs in one inning to tie the game 5-5 in the fifth. A home run by
Brant Vanaman in the eighth inning created momentum for the Prairie Stars.
Mike O'Conor also homered, and
Peyton Dillingham scored the eighth run.Â
Brant Vanaman led the offense with three hits, two RBI, and two runs.
Mack Clark and
Mike O'Conor earned two RBI apiece.
Ian Delleman (2-0) earned his second win of 2023 by recording three strikeouts in the final two innings.Â
GAME FOUR (W, 12-8)
UIS ended the series with another 12-run game.
Asher Bradd went 5-for-5 and scored three runs.
Brant Vanaman and
Peyton Dillingham each had two hits, and Vanaman recorded four RBI.
Johnny Colombo,
Peyton Dillingham,
Mike O'Conor and
Brant Vanaman hit home runs, with all but Colombo's occurring in the sixth inning.Â
Gavin Wahlbrink (1-0) earned the win, and the Prairie Stars move to 16-6.
No. 5 UIS will host No. 21 Indianapolis, who moved into the rankings this past week, in Springfield this weekend.
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