Illinois Springfield baseball is one step from NCAA finals. Offense is a big reason why

Zion Pettigrew didn’t harbor any doubts because University of Illinois Springfield’s vaunted offense can only stay dormant for so long. 

The Prairie Stars maintained a slim one-run lead through five innings in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional final on Sunday — until a loud pop from Pettigrew. 

The star infielder led off the sixth inning with a solo home run and UIS ignited with four more runs in the frame to dispatch host Wayne State 6-3. 

The Stars (46-8) not only return to the Midwest Super Regional bracket for the first time since 2019, but they also host GLVC rival Quincy (36-23) in a best-of-three series at UIS Baseball Field starting at 1 p.m. Friday. Game 2 begins 11 a.m. on Saturday.

“It felt amazing,” Pettigrew said. “I had gotten a couple of hits earlier in the game off of offspeed pitches, and I knew he'd come with a fastball there. I just didn't miss it — really exciting, really awesome moment that helped spark my teammates. They were super hyped up about it and just helped jumpstart that inning. It felt really good.” 

Meeting lofty expectations 

Pettigrew recently became the first ever repeat Great Lakes Valley Conference player of the year.  

The senior transfer out of Kirkwood Community College has a stellar .424 batting average with 25 home runs, 89 RBIs and 75 runs. His RBIs and home runs rank second and fourth, respectively, nationwide. 

The Chicago native also broke Michael Rothmund’s school record of 24 home runs with Sunday’s dinger. 

Pettigrew said he never thought too far ahead and only focused on the game ahead — not to mention the team. He said he put a bigger focus on helping the team win day in and day out and particularly became locked in with runners on base. 

“I definitely think it's an attitude that you have to go about when runners are in scoring position and I feel like I've definitely taken to that a lot more this year,” Pettigrew said. 

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UIS coach Ryan Copeland described Pettigrew as a quiet but great leader and patently dangerous No. 3 hitter. 

“He's very, very hard on himself and sometimes he struggles with that,” Copeland said. “But I think it's also part of the reason why he continues to do what he's doing. He demands so much of himself. When he has a tough game, he's in the cages working to try to figure it out, and he's just so in touch with his swing and his body.” 

Behind the scenes 

UIS has a legion of potent hitters that collectively ranks fourth nationwide with 10.4 runs per game. That also includes Asher Bradd (.386), Brandon Bannon (.363), Austin Alderman (.358), Kal Youngquist (.335) and Brant Vanaman (.332). 

Bradd, in fact, sits No. 3 nationally with 93 hits and seventh with 80 runs. Bannon is fifth with 83 runs.  

Copeland, last year’s GLVC coach of the year, largely lets associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Joe Kelch oversee the hitting side. They first met through Illinois State University’s baseball program.  

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“He's done a great job, especially with our high school recruiting,” Copeland said of Kelch. “We love what we have coming in the class and we're kind of finishing up our class here with the transfer portal and all of that stuff, so I'm very, very fortunate to have someone who's as loyal to this program to myself, and as dedicated to our players as Joe is.” 

Kelch said he arrived at a program teeming with talent and credited not just Copeland but also the players for the team’s success over the last few years. 

That includes Pettigrew, of course. Kelch said Pettigrew is one of the most talented individuals he’s worked with in his six-year coaching career. 

“He has a really good bat-to-ball skill. It's very hard to get him off the barrel and get him off time, so anything that those guys are throwing up there, he does a really good job of making an at-bat adjustment,” Kelch said. “He may get fooled in the first pitch of an at-bat, but he's so talented and able to make adjustments mid at-bat.  

“A lot of good hitters are able to make adjustments from maybe at-bat to at-bat or game to game, and he does it in the at-bat, so that's obviously something that's really special. And to watch him do that and know what he's doing up there, it's fun to watch.” 

NCAA Division II Super Regional

Who: Illinois Springfield (46-8) vs. Quincy (36-23)

What: Winner of the best-of-3 super regional advances to the eight-team NCAA Division II championship finals in Cary, N.C.

When: Game 1, 1 p.m. Friday; Game 2, 11 a.m. Saturday; Game 3, 30 minutes after, if needed.

Where: UIS Baseball Field, 2200 Ernest Hemingway Dr.

Tickets: Tickets are cash only at the field on game days. The ticket gate will open 90 minutes before first pitch both days. Prices are $10 for adults and $5 for youths, seniors and students. Fans are encouraged to bring their own chairs in grass areas surrounding the field. 

About the matchup: Quincy leads the season series 3-2, but UIS trounced the Hawks 16-3 in the GLVC championship game on Sunday, May 15. This will also be Quincy’s first appearance at UIS, where the Stars have gone 23-1.