The Prairie Stars came up just short in the GLVC Championship on Sunday, falling 2-1 to UIndy in the title game. Facing the undefeated Greyhounds in the double-elimination final, UIS needed to win twice to claim the title but was edged by two late runs as UIndy secured its fourth GLVC Tournament championship.

Game Recap

• UIS struck in the first inning when Rosie Bartletti doubled and scored on Taylor Zawacki's RBI single. Zawacki moved to second on the throw, and Malia Bender followed with a single, but a play third cut the rally short.
• Bartletti gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the first but worked through it with two flyouts and help from Jacy Watts, who threw out the runner attempting to steal to end the inning.
• In the second, Nyla Cooper singled and was replaced by pinch runner Sophie Rivera, who advanced to third, but UIS couldn't capitalize. Olivia DeLuca walked but was caught stealing to end the inning.
• Bartletti fanned two batters in the second and the UIS defense stayed sharp behind her. Both teams were quiet offensively through the third and fourth. UIndy managed a triple and double in those innings but didn't break through.
• In the fifth, Eads struck out two Prairie Stars. Bartletti gave up a single in the bottom half but stranded the runner.
• UIndy tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a walk, a fielder's choice, and a single up the middle. Bartletti struck out Eads and the inning ended with a lineout to shortstop Bailey Masching.
• In the bottom half, UIndy strung together two singles to put runners on before delivering a walk-off RBI single to clinch the win and the championship.
• Bartletti (21-10) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. The Prairie Stars had four hits total from Bartletti, Zawacki, Bender, and Cooper. Bartletti's early double was the only extra-base hit for UIS.
• Defensively, Addyson McClure had two putouts in left field, Masching had two at short, Isabella Wilson made six plays at first base, and Ella Brinkley added two assists.
• GLVC Freshman of the Year Cheyanne Eads earned the win, completing a dominant tournament in which she pitched every inning of UIndy's four wins.

Historic Run for UIS
This was the first appearance for UIS in the GLVC Championship final since 2012 and the first under 11th-year head coach Shannon Guthrie. The Prairie Stars had four players named to the GLVC All-Tournament Team: Rosie Bartletti, Ella Brinkley, Taylor Zawacki, and Olivia DeLuca.

UIS now awaits its NCAA DII Tournament fate, with the selection show scheduled for Monday at 9:00 a.m. CT on NCAA.com.