SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  –  Coming off their highest scoring series of the season, in which they scored 42 runs, the Miners look to continue their offensive momentum as they travel to Springfield, Illinois to play the Prairie Stars. They are currently 14-11 and are 5-7 against GLVC opponents and are tied for sixth in the conference standings.
 
The Miners team batting average improved to .280 after last week's series, setting a new season high for batting average in a game with .424 during game one. S&T's on base percentage is now fifth in the conference at .422 and they continue to lead the GLVC in triples with 14. Having scored nine runs in the series against William Jewell, Sam Monroe (Moline, Ill./Moline) now has the third most runs scored with 30. His .509 on base percentage is also 10th in conference and Andrew Hedgecorth's (Smithville, MO/Smithville) .520 is eighth.
 
The Miners pitching is now fourth with a 6.14 ERA. They have allowed the fifth fewest runs to opponents this year at 163 and the fourth fewest earned runs with 135. The Miners got their second shutout of the season in game three against the Cardinals with Estin McBroom (Monett, MO/Monett) pitching. McBroom went all seven innings, giving up just 4 hits while recording 5 strikeouts and holding the Cardinals to a .167 batting average. He now has the ninth best ERA in the conference at 4.26 and is eighth in opposing batting average with .247. He is also first in hits allowed with 23, while Ethan Morrow (Lenexa, KS/Shawnee Mission West) is tied for second with 25.
 
About the Opponents:
 
Illinois Springfield enters this week's series with an identical record to S&T's at 14-11 and 5-7 in the GLVC. They split in their previous series, going 2-2 against McKendree at home. Prior to McKendree they faced William Jewell and went 1-3 against the Cardinals.
 
The Prairie Stars are third in batting average, runs, and hits this season with .316, 201, and 256, respectively. Their on base percentage is fourth, just 0.4% more than S&T's. Individually, they have the fourth and tenth highest batting averages at .424 and .391. Also, out-fielder Brent Vanaman has the second highest slugging percentage in the conference at .781.
 
UIS's pitching has been significantly more pedestrian than their batting, coming in seventh in the conference with a 6.92 ERA. They have also given up the fifth most hits to opponents with 237 and fifth highest batting average at .298. They do have one pitcher in the top 10 for ERA, coming in eighth with a 4.08 ERA. One of their strengths is their fielding though, as they are tied for the second fewest errors in the conference with 21.
 
Series Schedule:
 
Game 1 – Thursday at 1 p.m.
Games 2 & 3 – Friday doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
Game 4 – Saturday at 12 p.m.