The UIS softball team dropped both games of its final regular-season doubleheader at Lewis, falling 4-3 in 11 innings in game one and 5-0 in game two. The Prairie Stars finish the regular season with a 29-18 overall record and a 17-11 mark in GLVC play. It is the first time UIS has been swept in a conference doubleheader since the GLVC opener against Truman State on March 7.
GAME ONE | L, 4-3 (11 Inn.)
- Rosie Bartletti got the start and was dominant early, holding Lewis hitless and scoreless through six innings while retiring 18 Flyers in a row.
- UIS took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Rebecca Neupauer, running for Bailey Masching after a hit-by-pitch, stole second base and scored on an RBI single by Olivia DeLuca.
- In the top of the seventh, Isabella Wilson led off with a double, and DeLuca plated her with a bunt single to extend the UIS lead to 2-0. However, Lewis rallied in the bottom of the seventh. A single and a pair of errors allowed the Flyers to score once, and a two-out RBI single tied the game at 2-2, sending it to extra innings.
- UIS escaped jams in the eighth and ninth innings, stranding two Flyers on base each time. Meanwhile, Lewis pitcher Delaney Garden kept UIS off the board with back-to-back three-up, three-down frames.
- In the top of the 10th, Ella Brinkley singled and stole second, then scored on a single by Taylor Zawacki to put UIS ahead 3-2. But Lewis answered again with a single and a double to even the game 3-3.
- Bailey Masching singled in the 11th inning but was left stranded. In the bottom half, Lewis used a walk and a single to set up a walk-off RBI single, winning the game 4-3. It marked the Flyers' second straight day with a walk-off extra-inning win in game one of a doubleheader.
- Bartletti (18-8) took the loss, pitching 10.2 innings while allowing seven hits, two earned runs, and striking out 14. Garden improved to 18-8 with the win for Lewis.
- UIS outhit Lewis 11-7 in the game, led by two hits each from Brinkley, DeLuca, and Addyson McClure.
GAME TWO | L, 5-0
- UIS put two runners on in the top of the first inning but left them stranded. In the bottom half, Lewis loaded the bases, but UIS got the out at home to keep the game scoreless.
- The Flyers struck first with two runs on two hits in the third inning, then broke the game open with a three-run homer in the fifth to make it 5-0.
- Addyson McClure started in the circle and pitched 4.1 innings, taking the loss to fall to 6-3 on the season. Taylor Zawacki entered in relief and threw the final 1.2 innings without allowing further damage.
- UIS was limited to five hits in the game, including two by Ella Brinkley, who posted back-to-back multi-hit games.
Up Next
The Prairie Stars earned the No. 5 seed in this week's GLVC Tournament and will face No. 4 seed McKendree on Wednesday at noon at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill.
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