SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The start to game one of the weekend series at Illinois-Springfield was promising as Davenport built a 5-0 lead in their first two at-bats. However, the Prairie Stars would then finish the game by scoring the final 16 runs in a 16-5 win over the Panthers in eight innings. UIS finished with 13 hits as Brant Vanaman had a triple and home run in the two spot of the lineup. Vanaman finished with a 4-for-5 day at the plate with seven RBI and two runs scored. He had a two-run scoring triple in the second inning and then a three-run home run in the sixth inning to give the Prairie Stars their first lead of the game at 7-5. Vanaman ended his day with a two-run single in the eighth inning.

The Panthers were looking for their first win of the season and started out strong. Carson Price had a RBI double in the first inning, but runners were stranded on second and third after a pair of strikeouts. DU added four runs in the top of the second as Logan Todd had a two-run single to center scoring Tyler Mosher and Xander Reisbig. Coltrane Rubner later in the inning hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to center for a 5-0 lead.

The Prairie Stars answered with three runs in the bottom of the second which was critical to their comeback. Ivan Dahlberg hit a solo home run in the third inning for his only hit in the game. Jayck Uehling had a RBI single in the seventh inning making it 9-5. Illinois-Springfield would go on to score six runs in the inning to put the game away. 

Josh Robinson and Price each went 2-for-4 for the Panthers. Mosher and Todd also collected two hits as the Panthers totaled 11 hits. Carson Fischer got the start for DU and lasted 5.2 innings. He yielded six hits and three earned runs with three walks and two strikeouts. Cade Kontny (0-1) took the loss as he gave up the Vanaman three-run home run in the sixth inning. 

The two teams will play one game tomorrow starting at 2 PM ET and now two games on Sunday beginning at 12 PM ET as part of a schedule change to accomodate the weather in Springfield.
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