Wambach
Terry Griffin
8
Drury DRURY 13-10
9
Winner Ill.-Springfield ILL.-SPR 16-7
Drury DRURY
13-10
8
Final
9
Ill.-Springfield ILL.-SPR
16-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Drury DRURY 3 3 0 0 2 0 0 8 11 0
Ill.-Springfield ILL.-SPR 0 1 0 0 5 2 1 9 11 0

W: Austin Loberger (1-1) L: Crask-Weeks, Caden (0-2)

5
Drury DRURY 13-11
12
Winner Ill.-Springfield ILL.-SPR 17-7
Drury DRURY
13-11
5
Final
12
Ill.-Springfield ILL.-SPR
17-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Drury DRURY 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 5 11 0
Ill.-Springfield ILL.-SPR 2 0 2 0 4 4 X 12 13 0

W: Graham Kasey (3-1) L: Dixon, Markell (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Eric Doennig, Associate AD - Media Relations

No. 25 UIS Takes Twin Bill From Panthers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — No. 25 Illinois Springfield rallied from early deficits in both contests to edge Drury baseball 9-8 in game one and 12-5 in the nightcap of the two clubs' Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at UIS Baseball Field.

The Prairie Stars (17-7, 6-1 GLVC) wiped out a seven-run deficit in game one, scoring five times in the home half of the fifth before tying things up with two runs in the sixth. Jesse Contreras singled home the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh after Johnny Wendling walked and stole second to open the inning.

In game two, Drury (13-11, 4-3 GLVC) held two different one-run leads in the first two innings before the Prairie Stars scored two in the second to gain the upper hand for good. UIS posted matching four-run rallies in the fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of reach.

Game 1 - UIS 9, Drury 8
The Panthers put three runs on the board in each of the first two innings to build a 6-0 lead, then stretched the margin to 8-1 with two more tallies in the fifth. Carter Wambach cleared the bases with a three-run double in the opening frame, before Logan Reidelberger plated two in the second with his one-out base hit to right-center.

UIS scored its first run of the day in the bottom of the second on Contreras' first run-scoring hit of the game.

In the fifth, Colin McClure clubbed a two-run shot for his second home run in as many games--and the first of two on the day for the junior--to extend the Panther lead to 8-1.

But the Stars began their comeback with five runs in the home half of the inning, highlighted by two-run doubles from Kody Morton and Drew Ezard. Contreras added another run-producing single to cap the rally and pull UIS to within 8-6.

UIS pulled even with the Panthers on Kaden Griffitts' two-run double with one out in the sixth. The Stars plated the game-winner after Wendling coaxed ball four on a full-count offering from Caden Crask-Weeks (0-2) to kick off the seventh. Wendling stole second, then trotted home when Contreras singled to left on an 0-2 pitch.

Wambach led the Panthers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. Nick Panagos limited the Stars to just one run on four hits over the first 4 1/3 innings and struck out six on the afternoon.  

Game 2 - UIS 12, Drury 5
Drury opened game two with a pair of scoring rallies over the first two frames as well. The Panthers cashed in on Connor Bain's two-out, RBI-single following Jackson Crider's double in the first, before negating the Prairie Stars' two-run first with two more on a Xander Schmitt double and a Luke Matschiner sac fly to take a 3-2 lead.

UIS gained the lead with a two-run third, using a Noah Caceres RBI-single and a hit batsman with the bases loaded to leapfrog the Panthers for a 4-3 advantage.

DU starting pitcher Markell Dixon (0-2) kept the Stars in check and his club within striking distance until the fifth, when Caceres hit a two-run homer and Ezard tripled home a run as part of a four-run outburst.

Drury answered with a two-spot in the sixth on McClure's third home run of the series, a two-run shot that followed a Greydon Miller walk.

But UIS put the victory on ice with another four-run inning in the home half of the sixth, with Griffitts providing the spark with his two-run homer. Chris Suchoski drove in his second run of the game with a sac fly to right, and a fourth UIS run crossed the plate on a wild pitch, handing the home club a seven-run cushion.

Griffitts and Caceres led UIS with matching three-hit, three-RBI performances, while Graham Kasey (3-1) scattered five runs while striking out five over 5.0 innings to earn the mound victory.

McClure led a contingent of four Panthers who recorded two hits in the game, finishing 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs.

LOOKING AHEAD
Drury and UIS will conclude their four-game GLVC set Sunday (March 22) with a Noon contest at UIS Baseball Field.

For all the latest information on Drury baseball, visit DruryPanthers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Panthers on X and Instagram.

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