CARTERSVILLE, GA. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team closed out a four game series against Illinois Springfield on Sunday with two victories, winning by scores of 3-2 and 5-3.
 
With the split yesterday, the Tritons win the series, taking three of four games. UMSL improves to 5-1 overall and travels to Clearwater, Fla., where they will play five games this week, beginning Tuesday against Mansfield. Illinois Springfield slips to 2-3 overall.
 
GAME 1: UMSL 3, Illinois Springfield 2
Senior Justin Hellman's sac fly in the eighth inning proved to be the game winner, breaking a 2-2 tie as senior Jose Ortiz came home after leading off the frame with a hit by pitch.
 
The Tritons jumped out to a 2-0 lead, scoring once in the second inning on freshman Tom DeCero's RBI single and then in the third inning when senior Justin Busekrus scampered home on a passed ball.
 
The Prairie Stars scored two unearned runs in the sixth inning to tie the score.
 
Junior Kevin Smith recorded his first win on the mound this season, striking out a career-best eight in seven innings of work. He allowed both unearned runs and scattered five hits, while walking two.
 
Senior Austin Simokaitis picked up the save, allowing two hits, while striking out two.
 
Busekrus recorded a pair of doubles as the Tritons finished with five hits.
 
GAME 2: UMSL 5, Illinois Springfield 3
UMSL scored four runs in the fifth inning to rally from a 2-1 deficit en route to the win.
 
UIS scored on a passed ball in the first inning and homered in the third for an early 2-0 advantage before the Tritons got one back in the fourth on junior Tanner Hudson's RBI double.
 
UMSL recorded just one hit in the fifth – an RBI single from Busekrus - but took advantage of three free passes and a Prairie Stars error. Senior JonMichael Weaver brought in one run with a bases loaded walk, while a fielder's choice led to a pair of RBIs for senior Dominic Orlando.
 
Busekrus accounted for two of the Tritons' four hits.
 
Junior Jake Renfrow improved to 2-0 on the mound, allowing three runs, including two earned, on five hits. He also struck out eight and issued two walks.
 
Simokaitis recorded his fourth save of the year, facing four batters in the seventh inning. He now has 15 career saves, moving into a tie for third place on the program's career charts.