SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Truman State University softball team faced a ranked opponent for the sixth and seventh times on Thursday afternoon in the form of No. 18 Illinois Springfield. The Bulldogs fell to 2-5 in those contests as the Prairie Stars swept the midweek doubleheader over the Purple and White with scores of 7-1 and 4-3.

After a stretch that included seven wins in eight games from March 31 through April 9, Truman (21-17, 10-12 GLVC) has dropped five of its last six and is holding on to the eighth-place spot in the league standings. The Bulldogs have now been swept four times this spring, all of which have come on the road against conference opponents. Meanwhile, Illinois Springfield (32-11, 19-3 GLVC), the league's top team, has won five straight and 12 of its last 13.

In game one, Truman's lone run came in the fifth when Christa Reisinger forced in Michaela Mooney with a bases-loaded walk. On the other side, Illinois Springfield scored seven runs on 13 hits including two in the second, three in the third and two more in the fifth.

Alyssa Hajduk (10-6) took her third loss in her last five outings since improving to 10-3 on April 9 vs. McKendree. Thursday in just two and two-thirds innings, the left-hander gave up five runs, four earned, on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts. That marked Hajduk's shortest start of the season. In relief, Nicolette Simpson surrendered two earned on seven hits with a free pass and two punchouts.

In the nightcap, Truman struck first with two runs in the third when Jamie Fowle brought in Mooney with a bunt and Alyssa Rivera singled in Riley Cook. However, Illinois Springfield responded with two in the home half of that inning before a third run in the fourth to go up 3-2. Two innings later, Rivera went deep with a solo shot to center, her fourth of the season, and the score was deadlocked, 3-3.

The score would stay tied until the bottom of the seventh. For the Prairie Stars, the leadoff batter walked, the next reached on an error and the third singled to load up the bases with no outs. Hajduk then relieved Lauren Dale and after retiring the first batter she faced, she walked the next to walk it off for the home team.

In six frames, Dale (8-9) gave up four runs, none of which were earned, on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts. After falling to 1-5 on March 18 at William Jewell, Dale was victorious in seven of her next eight outings to improve to 8-6 on April 7. The junior righty is 0-3 in four starts since then.

Next up, Truman will host Lewis for Senior Day on Saturday with game one set to begin at 12 p.m. Both games will have live stats and be streamed on GLVCSN as the softball program will honor Riley Cook, Ashley Murphy, Jamie Fowle, Kadie Orenstein, and Nicolette Simpson.

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