UIS softball heads to Columbus, Ohio, for spring break action against the Ohio Dominican Panthers. UIS hosted the Panthers at the UIS Softball Capital City McDonald's Classic back in mid-February, where the teams split a set of games. This regional matchup is one both teams would like to come out on top of.

Due to a minor schedule adjustment, the teams will now play a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 a.m. CT (12:00 p.m. ET).

Illinois Springfield (14-6)
The UIS offense has proven to be productive and deep. The Prairie Stars lead the GLVC in stolen bases and rank second in the conference in batting average. UIS also sits among the league leaders in hits, runs scored, doubles, and RBIs.

Freshman Emme Steward has quickly become one of the team's top hitters, batting .431 with five home runs and 19 RBIs through the first 20 games of her collegiate career. Her combination of power and on-base ability has helped anchor a lineup that continues to produce runs consistently.

In the circle, the Prairie Stars have relied on one of the top pitching staffs in the GLVC. Sophomore Calista Stahlhut has been strong this season, posting a 1.61 ERA with a 6-2 record and 51 strikeouts across 52.1 innings. She previously delivered a standout performance against Ohio Dominican earlier this season, tossing eight scoreless innings and allowing just five hits to keep UIS in the game before Olivia DeLuca delivered a walk-off win in the eighth inning. Stahlhut has since added two more victories to her record.

Rosie Bartletti has been impressive as well, ranking among the GLVC leaders with a 1.08 ERA while striking out 47 batters in 39 innings. Alexis Carroll has also contributed with a 3.50 ERA and three wins in nine appearances, while Elizabeth Grube has provided solid innings in limited action. Entering the week, Bartletti and Stahlhut rank first and third in the GLVC in ERA, giving UIS one of the strongest one-two pitching combinations in the conference.

Ohio Dominican (6-6)
The Panthers have rebounded from an 0-4 start to even their record at 6-6. Ohio Dominican is batting .302 as a team and has totaled 97 hits, 48 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases through its first 12 games.

Kendrick Sterling leads the Panthers offensively, batting .406 with five doubles and seven RBIs. She is joined by several other productive hitters, including Avery Mueller (.387), and Addie Triplett (.382 with a home run and six RBIs).

In the circle, Ohio Dominican has leaned on Alyvia Lawrentz and Emma Grau. Lawrentz holds a 3.35 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 37.2 innings, while Grau carries a 3.62 ERA and a 4-2 record across 38.2 innings pitched. Together, the pair have handled the majority of the Panthers' innings this season.

Follow Along
Ohio Dominican will stream the games on FloCollege and provide live statistics for both contests.