The University of Illinois Springfield softball team improved to 24-15 on the season and an even 5-5 in conference play with a doubleheader sweep of Missouri-St. Louis on Friday in St. Louis, Mo. 

GAME ONE (W, 5-4)
The Prairie Stars held on during a late rally by the Tritons for a 5-4 game one win. UIS started off with two runs in the bottom of the first inning and kept Missouri-St. Louis from scoring until the bottom of the sixth. Reagan Miles improved to 8-4 with four strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Rosie Bartletti closed out the game with two strikeouts to earn her second save this season. 

The UIS offense outhit the Tritons 12-5 with hits in 6-of-7 innings. Kelsie Burrows went 3-for-4 with one RBI while Taylor Zawacki contributed two hits and two runs. The Prairie Stars combined for two sacrifice bunts and three stolen bases.

GAME TWO (W, 4-3)
Missouri-St. Louis scored twice in the bottom of the seventh but was unable to complete the comeback as Rosie Bartletti retired two and earned another save. Taylor Zawacki improved to 7-8 on the mound after striking out eight in the first six innings. 

Six Prairie Stars combined for eleven hits in game two. Starting pitcher Taylor Zawacki went 3-for-4, scoring two runs while Jillian Mathis had two hits of her own. The Prairie Stars defeated the Tritons for the first time since 2021 and completed their first GLVC team sweep of 2023.

UIS will return home tomorrow to take on the Missouri S&T Miners in a 12 p.m. doubleheader.