Prairie Stars Drop Doubleheader at Missouri S&T

No. 15 Illinois Springfield baseball falls in both games of Saturday's twin bill

Apr. 12, 2026 at 7:28am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic motion and energy of a college baseball game, with sharp planes of color and overlapping shapes representing the ebb and flow of the action.A cubist interpretation of the intense back-and-forth action on the diamond as Illinois Springfield and Missouri S&T battled in a high-scoring doubleheader.Rolla Today

The No. 15 Illinois Springfield baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader at Missouri S&T on Saturday, falling 7-4 in the opener and 10-4 in the second game. The Prairie Stars struck early in both contests but could not hold off the Miners' offense, which scored in bunches to secure the victories.

Why it matters

This series loss drops Illinois Springfield to 26-10 overall and 14-4 in conference play, while Missouri S&T improved to 23-10 and 16-2. The Prairie Stars' hopes of winning the conference title have taken a hit, and they will look to bounce back in Sunday's series finale.

The details

In the first game, Illinois Springfield took a 3-2 lead through two innings, but Missouri S&T responded with five unanswered runs to win 7-4. Kaden Griffitts and Johnny Wendling led the Prairie Stars' offense. In the second game, Illinois Springfield again struck first but could not keep pace as Missouri S&T scored five runs in the second inning and added three more in the fifth to win 10-4. Wendling and Corey Boyette each had three hits for the Prairie Stars.

  • The doubleheader took place on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
  • The series finale is scheduled for Sunday, April 12, 2026, with a noon first pitch.

The players

Kaden Griffitts

A Prairie Stars player who had two hits and two runs scored in the first game.

Johnny Wendling

A Prairie Stars player who drove in two runs with a double in the first game and had three hits in the second game.

Corey Boyette

A Prairie Stars player who drove in two runs and had three hits in the second game.

Missouri S&T

The Miners, who won both games of the doubleheader against Illinois Springfield.

Illinois Springfield

The Prairie Stars, who are now 26-10 overall and 14-4 in conference play after the doubleheader losses.

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What’s next

The series concludes Sunday with a noon first pitch in Rolla, Missouri, as Illinois Springfield looks to bounce back and avoid the sweep.

The takeaway

This series loss is a setback for Illinois Springfield's conference title hopes, but the Prairie Stars will have a chance to redeem themselves in Sunday's series finale. The team's offense showed flashes of production, but they were ultimately unable to keep pace with Missouri S&T's big innings.