SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Quincy University baseball team dropped both games of Saturday's doubleheader to No. 24 Illinois Springfield, falling 9-5 in walk-off fashion in game two before suffering an 18-1 defeat in game three. With the pair of losses, the Prairie Stars have taken the first three games of the four-game series.

Game 2: No. 24 Illinois Springfield, Quincy 5

The Hawks came out swinging in game two, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Joe Huffman doubled home Ben Dahlof, who had reached after being hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position on an error. Quincy added another run in the second inning as David Broughton launched his team-leading sixth home run of the season to extend the lead to 2-0.

Quincy pushed the lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning when Ari Fivelson delivered an RBI single to score Harry Fandre. The Prairie Stars answered in the bottom half, using a sacrifice fly and a two-RBI single to tie the game at 3-3. UIS then moved in front in the fifth inning on a solo home run and another run-scoring opportunity created by a hit batter, making it 5-3.

The Hawks fought back in the seventh inning. Fivelson was hit by a pitch, and Dahlof singled before Isaiah Fudge brought home a run with a sacrifice groundout. Later in the inning, Fandre was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, tying the game at 5-5.

However, Illinois Springfield loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh before Hunter Moser ended the game with a walk-off grand slam, giving the Prairie Stars the 9-5 victory. Dahlof finished with his 12th multi-hit game of the season, while Huffman recorded his 13th multi-hit performance of the year.

On the mound, Rocco Conrad tossed 3.2 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, while striking out two. Matt Miscik took the loss after allowing six runs in 2.1 innings, with the walk-off grand slam serving as the deciding blow.

Game 3: No. 24 Illinois Springfield 18, Quincy 1

Illinois Springfield carried that momentum into game three, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the opening inning behind a pair of two-RBI doubles. The Prairie Stars added another run in the second before blowing the game open in the third inning. After loading the bases, a second grand slam of the day was launched, followed by a solo home run, pushing the lead to 11-0.

Quincy scored its lone run in the fourth inning when Payton Mansfield doubled and later came around to score on a wild pitch. Byron Blaise and Carson Moreno added singles in the inning, but the Hawks could not generate any more offense.

The Prairie Stars continued to pile on over the next three innings. A solo home run in the fourth and a two-run homer in the fifth, with UIS scoring four more times in the sixth inning to close out the 18-1 win.

Illinois Springfield finished game three with 18 runs on 15 hits, including four home runs. The 18 runs allowed were the second most Quincy has given up all season, while the four home runs surrendered were the most the Hawks have allowed in a game this year. Quincy pitchers also issued nine walks, the second most in a game this season.

Across the doubleheader, Quincy was outscored 27-6 and allowed 22 hits and eight home runs. The Hawks will look to salvage the series in game four on Sunday, with the first pitch scheduled for noon.