ROLLA, Mo. – A two run sixth inning propelled the Missouri S&T Lady Miners to a 4-2 in the opener of its doubleheader against Illinois Springfield on Saturday afternoon at the S&T Softball Field. The Prairie Stars then held the S&T bats in check taking the nightcap 2-0.

Illinois Springfield (29-18, 14-12 GLVC) struck first with a run in the top of the first as Lauren Hollinshead doubled down the left field line to begin the game. She then stole third and scored on a throwing error by Cailey Baker (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield).

S&T (9-26, 6-20 GLVC) came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Andi Davis (Blue Springs, Mo./Archbishop O'Hara ) led off with a single to right and came around to score on Kyra Slemp (Roeland Park, Kan./Shawnee Mission East)'s triple into the right field corner. Slemp came into score on Savannah Fedorchak (Oakville, Mo./Oakville)'s groundout to second.

The Prairie Stars threatened in the second getting back-to-back singles, but the Lady Miners were able to get out of the inning on a popout by Hollinshead. S&T's bats were held quiet over the next four innings as Taylor Bowlby retired 15 straight batters in one stretch.

UIS tied the game in the top of the fifth as Bowlby led off the inning with a double to left center. BriAnna Edgar came into run for her and scored on Brittany Miller's single to left field.

The Lady Miners regained the lead in the home half of the sixth as Davis singled with one out and scored on Shelby Michaelis (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf)'s triple to the gap in right center. Slemp drove in her second run of the game with a squeeze bunt scoring Michaelis.

The Prairie Stars made things interesting in the seventh loading the bases with no one out. Viets got out of the jam though getting Jordyn Amos to foul out to first and then Rachel Goff flew out to Michaelis in shallow center who threw out Bowlby at the plate to end the game.

S&T was outhit in the contest 7-6, but stranded just two runners while UIS left eight on base. Davis and Slemp had two hits each while Michaelis and Fedorchak had the other two. Viets picked up the win going the final 5.1 innings allowing a run on four hits with a strikeout and two walks. She came on relief of Becca Strope (Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville) who left with two outs in the second due to illness.

The Lady Miners struggled to get anything going in the second game against Alexandria Smith as she held them without a hit until the fourth inning. The Prairie Stars got a run in the third inning thanks to a leadoff walk and a two out single.

S&T got the tying run into scoring position in both the fourth and sixth innings but couldn't get the big hit as Davis was left stranded in both innings. UIS tacked on an insurance run in the seventh thanks to a two out double and an RBI single from Miller.

The Lady Miners got a two out single from Cailey Baker (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield) in the home half of the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate but Miranda Thompson (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) was called out on strikes to end the game.

Davis led S&T with two hits in the nightcap while Baker added the other. Viets took the loss allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts in five innings of work. Bethany Rader (Memphis, Mo./Scotland County ) got the start tossing the first two innings allowing one hit with a strikeout and a walk.

The Lady Miners head north next weekend to take on Wisconsin-Parkside and Lewis in their final doubleheaders of the season. S&T will take on the Rangers next Saturday in Somers, Wis., beginning at 12 p.m.