The University of Illinois Springfield baseball team went on the road this week to face GLVC opponent McKendree in a four-game series. The Prairie Stars came away with four wins, improving their record to 26-8 and 16-4 in GLVC play.

GAME ONE (W, 12-8)
Two 2-run homers by McKendree in the early innings put the Prairie Stars in a deficit that they did not shake until scoring six runs in the seventh inning.

McKendree scored their first five runs on three homers. Brandon Bannon went 4-for-4 with three RBI and had three of the team's first four hits. Asher Bradd contributed two hits, two runs, one stolen base and one RBI. Brant Vanaman and Peyton Dillingham each hit home runs in the eighth inning. 

Ian Delleman (3-0) earned the win on the mound when he retired six of the twelve batters he faced in the final three innings. 

GAME TWO (W, 10-2)
Mike O'Conor contributed a 3-RBI double in the first inning to bring his season total to 25 RBI in 58 at-bats. The runs by Ivan Dahlberg, Brandon Bannon, and Mack Clark put UIS in the lead for the first and last time.

TJ Yakimisky led the offense in game two with two hits, two runs, and 3 RBI. Brandon Bannon and Mack Clark also tallied two hits apiece, helping the Prairie Stars to outhit the Bearcats 10-4 in the seven inning matchup. 

Ryan Carmack went the full seven innings to stack eight strikeouts and improve his record to 4-1.

GAME THREE (W, 13-1)
Connor McKenna (3-3) led the Prairie Stars to their 25th win of the season by going five innings with nine strikeouts and just one walk. 

Zach Dillman, Sam Bieser, and Raul Ortega led UIS in the 15-hitter with three apiece. Dillman went 3-for-3 with five RBI, and Bieser contributed four RBI. McKendree went hitless in four of seven innings but snuck in a run with a homer in the bottom of the sixth.

GAME FOUR (W, 6-0)
The Prairie Stars got to scoring in the top of the third inning when Brant Vanaman crossed home plate on a Mike O'Conor double. UIS left two runners on base in the third, but came back in the fourth inning to score twice when Zach Dillman doubled to right center and Sam Bieser brought him in with a homer. UIS scored its remaining runs on a TJ Yakimisky two-run homer in the fifth, and a single in the top of the sixth. Yakimisky went 3-for-3 with three RBI and a home run. Sam Bieser added a homer and two RBI for the Prairie Stars

Adam Brouwer improved to 5-0 after pitching the first five innings for UIS. Braden Roesch tallied six strikeouts and let up just one hit in three innings of relief. 

The Prairie Stars batted .349 on the weekend while the pitching staff held the Bearcats to .202. 

Next up for UIS is a weekend series at home versus Maryville (20-10, 11-5 GLVC) on April 14-16. It will be the last series at home this regular season with senior day to be celebrated on Sunday, April 16. Highway Heartburn food truck will be at the UIS Baseball Field on Saturday, April 15.