ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team dropped both ends of its doubleheader to Illinois Springfield 8-2 and 8-2 on Saturday afternoon at the UMSL Baseball Field. The Tritons drop to 17-10, 7-5 GLVC while the Prairie Stars improve to 11-10, 6-5 GLVC.

Game 1 – UIS 8 UMSL 2
UIS jumped out to the early lead in game one scoring three runs on three hits and an error in the top of the first. Ivan Dahlberg had the big hit in the inning dropping a two-run single into left center to drive in the first two runs of the contest. Mack Clark drove in the third run of the frame with a groundout to second.

UMSL was held without a hit through the first 2.2 innings until Braedon Stoakes reached on a bunt single in the third.

The Prairie Stars broke it open scoring three runs on three hits and an error in the fifth inning. The Tritons had a chance to get out of the inning unscathed but a throwing error on the back end of a possible inning ending double play resulted in three runs for UIS.

The Prairie Stars added two more in the sixth to make it 8-0. UMSL got RBI singles from Garrett Strenger and Barrett Rose in the seventh for their two runs.

The Tritons were held to six hits in the opener and were led by Stoakes with two. Bryce Nicolay took the loss giving up six runs, four earned, on 11 hits with three walks and a strikeout to fall to 2-1 on the year.

Game 2 – UIS 8 UMSL 2
UIS jumped out to the early lead in the nightcap with single tallies in each of the first two innings. Caceres drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to right and then in the second Kody Morton scored on a throwing error as Noah Tomaras tried to pick off Morton at third but his throw went into left field.

UMSL got back-to-back doubles from Tomaras and Cooper Blythe in the second to cut the Prairie Star lead in half. The Tritons got the tying run to third with one out but couldn't bring home Blythe as a strike out and a ground out ended the inning.

UMSL had the tying run at third in both the fourth and fifth innings but were unable to get the key hit.

UIS took advantage of four hits and three error Triton errors to score six runs in the seventh to break the game open.

The Tritons final run came in the eighth as Brady Robertson snuck a single past Jackson Blemler at second into right field to bring home Cade Grevengoed.

UMSL was held to five hits in the nightcap and were led by Grevengoed, Robertson, Tomaras, Blythe and Logan McIntyre with one apiece. Dustin Hagens took the loss giving up two runs, one earned, on one hit while striking out eight but walked seven in five innings pitched.

The Tritons return to the diamond on Tuesday (March 25) hosting Missouri Western at 1 p.m. at the UMSL Baseball Field.