The Illinois Springfield softball team will play at a neutral site this week, traveling to Branson, Mo., to compete in the Grand Slam Classic. The Prairie Stars will face a pair of Division II opponents—Washburn and Nebraska–Kearney—across four games Friday and Saturday.

        Friday, March 6

• 3:00 p.m. — vs. Washburn 
• 5:00 p.m. — vs. Nebraska–Kearney 

        Saturday, March 7

• 9:00 a.m. — vs. Nebraska–Kearney
• 11:00 a.m. — vs. Washburn 

Illinois Springfield (12-4)
The Prairie Stars are coming off a doubleheader sweep of Roosevelt Lakers softball, highlighted by two shutout victories. Pitching has been a major strength for UIS early in the season, as the staff owns a 1.72 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 109.2 innings while holding opponents to a .211 batting average.

At the plate, several Prairie Stars have produced strong early numbers. Emme Steward leads the lineup with a .459 batting average, four home runs, and a team-best 1.480 OPS while also drawing 13 walks. Rosie Bartletti has added a .375 average and a team-high 20 runs scored while going 18-for-19 on stolen base attempts. Bailey Masching is batting .366 with five doubles in 16 games.

Washburn (21-4)
Washburn's offense is led by Dalaney Anderson, who is batting .381 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs, while Taylor Brees is hitting .406 and frequently creating pressure on the bases. In the circle, Sadie Walker leads the pitching staff with a 10-2 record and a 1.89 ERA.

The Ichabods lead the all-time series 3-1.

Nebraska-Kearney (9-12)
Nebraska-Kearney is coming off an 0-4 showing at the Top Gun Midwest Classic last weekend. Offensively, Bailey Peterson leads the team with a .364 batting average, while Zaria Brigham is hitting .348 with two home runs and 12 RBIs. Gianna Galli is batting .333 with five doubles. In the circle, Chloe Odle has been one of the Lopers' top pitchers with a 1.64 ERA and a 4-2 record in 10 appearances.

UIS leads this all-time series 2-1.

Follow Along
Live statistics will not be available during the tournament, but games will be streamed on the UIS Softball Facebook page. Scores will also be posted on @UISAthletics social media channels.