UIS Secures Series-Opening 3-2 Victory Over Quincy

Prairie Stars baseball team holds off Quincy in tight conference matchup.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 8:40am

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The Illinois Springfield baseball team secured a 3-2 victory over Quincy in the series opener on Friday. Tommy Atkinson hit a solo home run in the first inning to give UIS an early lead. Chris Suchoski and Johnny Wendling also drove in runs as the Prairie Stars held off a late Quincy comeback attempt.

Why it matters

This win keeps UIS in the hunt for the conference title, as they improve to 19-7 overall and 8-1 in league play. Quincy drops to 19-10 and 8-4 in the conference, making this an important early-season matchup between two top teams.

The details

UIS starter Ben Benoit pitched 6 strong innings, allowing just 1 earned run on 6 hits. Reliever Isaac Graf recorded the save, working out of a jam in the 9th inning to preserve the victory. Offensively, Atkinson had 3 hits and an RBI, while Wendling and Suchoski also drove in runs for the Prairie Stars.

  • The series opener was played on Friday, March 27, 2026.
  • The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 28, 2026 starting at noon.

The players

Ben Benoit

The starting pitcher for UIS, who delivered 6 solid innings and earned the win.

Tommy Atkinson

The UIS leadoff hitter, who hit a solo home run in the 1st inning and had 3 hits in the game.

Chris Suchoski

The UIS catcher, who doubled and scored a run, while also throwing out a runner attempting to steal.

Johnny Wendling

The UIS outfielder, who hit a solo home run in the 7th inning to extend the lead.

Isaac Graf

The UIS reliever, who recorded the save by working out of a 9th inning jam.

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What they’re saying

“We knew Quincy would be a tough opponent, but our guys really stepped up and made the plays when it mattered most. This was a big conference win for us.”

— Dan Langer, UIS Head Coach

What’s next

The series continues with a doubleheader on Saturday, with the first pitch set for noon.

The takeaway

This hard-fought victory over a conference rival keeps UIS in the race for the league title, as they continue to get strong pitching and timely hitting from up and down the lineup.