UIS baseball hits the road for Kirksville, Missouri, this week for a four-game GLVC series against Truman State, running Thursday through Saturday. First pitch is set for Thursday at 3:00 p.m., followed by a Friday doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m., and the series finale Saturday at noon.

Looking ahead, mark your calendars—UIS will play a rescheduled non-conference game at Missouri-St. Louis on Tuesday, April 7 at 2:00 p.m.

Illinois Springfield (22-7, 11-1 GLVC)
UIS enters the weekend riding major momentum after a statement sweep of Quincy. In what has grown into a competitive rivalry over the past decade, the Prairie Stars secured their first-ever four-game sweep of the Hawks, outscoring them 45-13. UIS has also been nationally ranked for several consecutive weeks and used the series to quiet the league's most explosive offense.

The weekend opened with a tight 3-2 win behind Friday starter Ben Benoit. Saturday's doubleheader brought fireworks, highlighted by Hunter Moser's pinch-hit walk-off grand slam in the fist game of the day. The Stars followed that with an 18-1 rout behind a strong outing from Mark DeCicco, then closed the sweep Sunday with a 15-5 win fueled by six extra-base hits and effective bullpen work.

Offensively, UIS has been one of the most dangerous teams in the conference. The Prairie Stars rank near the top of the GLVC with a .333 team batting average and lead the league in slugging percentage at .579, combining power and consistency throughout the lineup. Corey Boyette and Tommy Atkinson have been the most productive hitters in the conference, both batting well above .440 with OPS marks north of 1.300, anchoring a lineup that consistently applies pressure.

On the mound, UIS owns a 5.88 team ERA—second-best in the GLVC. Benoit, Trey Carter, and DeCicco headline the rotation, while the bullpen continues to develop depth. Isaac Graf delivered three strong innings in relief against Quincy, and Quinn Hoftender and Zane Danielson have shown strength in recent appearances. Reliable arms like Kyle Tyler and Austin Loberger have also provided stability in key situations.

Truman State (8-21, 2-14 GLVC)
The Bulldogs enter the series looking to build momentum after recent conference struggles. TSU took one game in each of their last two GLVC series against Lewis and Missouri-St. Louis but were swept by both Quincy and Missouri S&T.

Offensively, Truman has posted a .274 team batting average, placing them in the lower half of the conference. However, Nick Steurer has been a standout, hitting .435 with a 1.097 OPS and providing a consistent spark at the top of the lineup, while Evan Davis adds additional production.

On the mound, Truman has faced challenges, carrying a 9.00 team ERA. Isaac Epp has been a bright spot with a 3.62 ERA and remains their most reliable starter, but the rest of the rotation has struggled to limit opposing offenses. That could present opportunities for a UIS lineup that has consistently produced runs in bunches.

Missouri-St. Louis (14-14, 8-4 GLVC)
Following the Truman series, UIS will shift focus to a midweek road game against UMSL, a familiar opponent after the teams met earlier this season in a weather-impacted non-conference series.

UIS won two of the three completed games in the series, opening with a 16-4 run-rule victory behind six strong innings from Ben Benoit. UMSL responded with a narrow 7-6 win, before UIS closed the weekend with a 19-10 victory in its home opener. That game featured three extra-base hits from Tommy Atkinson and a strong relief outing from Jaden Mathon.

Since that meeting, UIS has gone 15-4 and climbed into the national rankings, while UMSL has posted a 9-7 record and remained competitive in GLVC play.

The Tritons are led on the mound by Eli Cartwright, who owns a 1.40 ERA and has been one of the most effective pitchers in the conference. With both teams coming off weekend conference series, the midweek matchup could feature adjusted lineups and pitching usage.

Follow Along
As the Prairie Stars continue their push atop the GLVC standings, this series presents another opportunity to maintain momentum against a Truman squad still searching for consistency. UIS will look to stay hot and keep pace in a tightly contested conference race.

Follow along and watch live on GLVCSN.