The Illinois Springfield baseball team fell 10-9 to Davenport on Tuesday afternoon in Michigan after a walk-off single ended a back-and-forth battle between regional opponents. The Prairie Stars fell to 30-14.

Game Recap

• Noah Caceres gave the Prairie Stars an early boost with a two-run homer in the first inning, and UIS led 3-1 after the opening frame.
• The lead grew to 5-1 in the second when Jackson Blemler scored on a dropped fly ball in center field, and Ivan Dahlberg drove in Ethan Bowers with an RBI single.
• Starting pitcher Brayden Mayer gave UIS a solid outing before being relieved by Kannon Walker in the third. Despite allowing a couple of baserunners, Walker escaped the inning unscathed and went on to pitch efficiently into the middle innings.
• Davenport cut into the UIS lead with a three-run fifth to make it 5-4. UIS responded with three runs in the sixth, helped by a leadoff walk, three hits, and a fielding error—Davenport's fourth of the game. 
• Davenport battled its way back, tying the game 8-8 in the seventh on a two-run single by a pinch hitter.
• UIS briefly regained the lead in the eighth when Caceres delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly, but Davenport produced in the bottom of the ninth. A solo home run was followed by two more hits, setting up the walk-off RBI single and sealing the 10-9 win for the home team.
• Kody Morton went 3-for-5 at the plate, while Noah Caceres drove in three runs, going 1-for-4 and continuing to produce in the middle of the lineup. Ethan Bowers, Mark Kattula, and Ivan Dahlberg each recorded two hits.
• Five pitchers saw action for UIS. Starter Brayden Mayer allowed one run in 2.1 innings, followed by Kannon Walker, who tossed 3.2 innings and allowed three earned runs. Seth Masters and Jack Tobin combined to give up five more runs, with Tobin taking the loss. Austin Loberger faced one batter in the final frame.

Up Next
The Prairie Stars, who have clinched a spot in the GLVC Tournament and hold a regional ranking, look ahead to the final weekend of the regular season. Still in contention for the GLVC regular season title, UIS will close out conference play with a Thursday–Saturday road series at McKendree as it chases the league-leading Lewis Flyers.
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