Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  –  The Miners dropped both games in today's doubleheader against the Praire Stars, losing 10-9 and 19-16.

Game 1: Prairie Stars 10, Miners 9
 
The first inning was anything but favorable for the Miners, only getting through three batters in the top and giving up four runs and four hits in the bottom. They received some free bases in the top of the second, with two walks and a wild pitch setting runners up on second and third with one out. Tommy Ruether (Washington, MO/Washington) and Aiden Cizek (Wildwood, MO/Lafayette) would record RBIs in the following at bats, bringing home two runs for the Miners before the half inning concluded. A double play helped the Miners get through the bottom of the second in three at bats.
 
In the bottom of the third, an error kept the Prairie Stars inning alive, allowing them to score two unearned runs to further their lead to 6-2. Nick Krodinger (DeSoto, MO/DeSoto) and Ruether both singles in the next inning, but a pop up would leave them both stranded. Starting pitcher Ethan Morrow (Lenexa, KS/Shawnee Mission West) was replaced in the fourth inning, leaving Matt Ellingson (Lenexa, KS/Olathe Northwest) to inherit runners on first and second with two outs. Ellingson would give up a single and a homerun against his first two batters, giving up four runs before striking out the third batter to end the inning.
 
The Miners had their most successful inning of the game in the fifth, scoring six runs. The first five at bats of the inning consisted of two singles, a double, a walk, and a hit by pitch as the Miners brought two home before the Prairie Stars switched out pitchers. The Miners would score four more runs in the inning, reducing their deficit to just two at 10-8. Ben Belgrave (Cary, IL/Cary-Grove) stepped in for Ellingson in the bottom of the inning, starting by striking out the first batter before retiring the next two with ground outs.
 
S&T would score one more in the top of the sixth before holding the Prairie Stars scoreless in the bottom of the inning, resulting in a must-score top of the seventh. They were unable to score the tying run though, suffering three straight outs to end the game in a 10-9 loss.
 
Game 2: Prairie Stars 19, Miners 16
 
The start of game two was better for S&T, recording two hits with Tyler Prince (Mexico, MO/Mexico) hitting a two-run homerun in the top of the first to give the Miners the early lead. UIS would get two hits in the first as well, but not bring anyone home as the Miners maintained a two-run lead. The second inning was mostly uneventful, with Logan Alexander's (Olathe, KS/Olathe Northwest) double being the only hit for either team that inning. Four singles by the Miners in the top of the third helped bring four runs home that inning, extending their lead to 6-0. Starting pitcher Estin McBroom's (Monett, MO/Monett) day ended in the bottom of the third after giving up six hits and six runs, being replaced by Dylan Bates (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West). The Prairie Stars would score twice more before the third ended, giving them an 8-6 lead.
 
A solo homerun by Kenneth Sugi (North Vancouver, BC/Carson Graham Secondary) cut the Miners' deficit in half next inning, but UIS would score two runs in the fifth and another five in the sixth to give themselves a seven-run lead. That lead quickly disappeared though, with the Miners scoring eight runs, including three off a homerun by Souza, in the top of the seventh to take a 16-15 lead. Jacob Cook (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka Community) would come in to close out the game, but ended up allowing two singles, a double, and a homerun as the Prairie Stars got their second walkoff victory of the series.
 
Sugi had another great day at the plate, getting five hits in nine at bats between the two games, including a solo homerun in game two.
 
The Miners will play their final game in Springfield tomorrow at 12:00 p.m.