Springfield High graduate helps UIS baseball end its long conference title drought

DETROIT — It was now or never for veterans like Austin Alderman and Colton Hale.

This was their third and last shot at the program’s first ever Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament title and a return trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

The University of Illinois Springfield baseball team finally closed the deal with a 16-3 victory over Quincy at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Missouri on Sunday.

“It was awesome,” said Alderman, a fifth-year redshirt junior right fielder. “It was something that I really wanted. I wasn't actually nervous in any of the games until the championship I would say. It was like, 'All right, well, (my) last year. I have to do it. We have to do it now if we're going to do it.' It was fun to just embrace all of the guys after the game, too.”

The Prairie Stars (44-8) hope to add some more hardware in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed.

They defeated No. 6 Ashland (35-19) at on Thursday in the regional opener, 10-6. UIS now plays at 1:30 p.m. Friday against No. 7 seed Walsh (31-21), a winner over No. 2 Wayne State (35-18). The double-elimination tournament continues through the weekend.

UIS last advanced to the super regionals in 2019 against Ashland. Last season, the Stars not only lost the GLVC title game but also the first two games of the NCAA regional.

“I know myself and the whole team, we're just excited and eager to be back,” Hale said. “We know last year was a disappointing finish and we all just really wanted to get back to this point and get right back after it.”

Runs in spades

UIS has always boasted a prolific offense over the years but especially exploded in the conference tournament. The Stars outscored their last four opponents 47-11 combined.

Alderman, a Springfield High graduate, went 7-for-18 with eight RBIs and seven runs in that span. That also included a home run and triple.

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“It was a lot of fun,” Alderman said. “I think it was just kind of everybody started to click at one time, which we've seen a little bit throughout the year, but it kind of all came together there for the conference tournament. Hopefully, we can just keep that going.”

Alderman was additionally elevated to the No. 4 hole behind star infielder Zion Pettigrew for the first time over the weekend.

Pettigrew, who became the first GLVC Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons in conference history, leads the offense with a .421 batting average. His 84 RBIs rank second in the nation and 23 home runs is tied for sixth.

Alderman himself has added power to the batting order. His .364 batting average is fourth on the team and has 14 home runs with 61 RBIs and 59 runs.

“We've been very good offensively for the time that I've been here and I think a lot of that has to do with the coaching staff, just the the approach that they've instilled in us,” Alderman said. “And just the fact that the guys, we can kind of execute a game plan and trust our abilities to do what they do.”

'Immediate bond'

Hale, another fifth-year redshirt junior out of St. Joseph, broke Andrew Dean’s school record for career wins in April and has moved up to 27-3 overall. That includes 10-1 this season with a 3.65 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 13 starts.

“None of that was possible without my teammates,” Hale said. “Our defense is incredible. Our offense is incredible. The guys make plays behind me every single time. Our offense always goes out there and puts up runs, and all of those things make it a lot easier to pitch for not only myself but our whole team and whole pitching staff.”

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Hale described that offense as relentless over the weekend. UIS ranks fourth nationally averaging 10.4 runs per game.

That’s what he says makes him an effective pitcher. He not only has trust in himself but also his teammates.

“Every single batter, it didn't matter who it was,” Hale said. “They just knew they were going to have a good at-bat and we were going to make it as difficult as possible for the other pitchers on the other team.

“I think it showed with how many runs our offense can produce and how quickly they can produce runs because 1-9 and even all of the guys that come off the bench, it's never an easy out and it's a struggle and very difficult to get our hitters out.”

Hale redshirted his sophomore year in 2019 due to a UCL tear in his right throwing arm. He appeared in four games the following season before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He described the canceled 2020 season as a blessing in disguise because it allowed him to continue to fully recover from the injury.

Hale subsequently went 8-0 with a 4.06 ERA in 11 starts in 2021.

After this season he intends to study nursing at Illinois State University. Alderman, likewise, will pursue physical therapy at University of Illinois Chicago.

“Just the team in general and all of the guys here at UIS, they're unreal really,” Hale said. “I mean, all of them are pretty much my good friends, best teammates. There's nothing more you can really ask for. You come on this team, it doesn't matter who you are or where you're from.

“It's just an immediate bond that you pick up with everyone on the team and I think that's what makes it so special.  It doesn't matter if it's your first day here at UIS or if it's my fifth year, it's always the same.

“Everyone's well respected, just having a blast all together and having fun on the baseball field. I think that's the main goal and what it's all about really.”

Contact Bill Welt: (217) 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt 

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: UIS baseball wins Great Lakes Valley, returns to NCAA tournament