A split with Saint Joseph’s in a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Sunday earned the University of Illinois Springfield a bid to the conference tournament for the first time in the four-year history of the UIS program.
The Prairie Stars scored a wild-card berth after Saint Joseph’s won the opener 3-2, then UIS held on for a 5-4 victory in the second game.
The Pumas scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning of the nightcap. Lance LeBaron stole two bases and was 3-for-4 for the Stars.
In the first game, Jared Massengill hit a RBI single in the seventh inning. Luke Stewart scored and made it 3-2. Massengill was 4-for-4. UIS pitcher James Range struck out six and walked two in five innings.
UIS (28-22, 18-18) finished fourth in the GLVC East Division.
The win was featured by The State Journal-Register on May 4, 2014.
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