Fort Myers, FL – The Prairie Fire pulled off a dramatic win and also dropped a game on Thursday in the Gene Cusic Classic.

Knox defeated Southern Vermont College 10-9 in walk-off fashion and then fell to Midwest Conference North Division member Lawrence University 7-3 in a game with a strong youth flavor for Knox.

The first game against Southern Vermont featured five lead changes, including three in the eighth and ninth innings. With the score tied at 7-7, Prairie Fire junior Jackson White (Grayslake, IL, Grayslake Central) led off the bottom of the eighth with a double. White came around to score on a two-out double by senior Ryan Hoffman (Sugar Grove, IL, Marmion Academy) to give Knox an 8-7 lead.

The Mountaineers (3-5) answered back in the ninth inning. Senior reliever Gabe Ayers (Hanna City, IL, Farmington) came into close out the game in relief of first-year Mitch Weissenhofer (Homewood, IL, Marian Catholic), who tossed perfect seventh and eighth innings for the Prairie Fire.

Ayers struck out the first batter he faced before running into trouble.  A single followed by a double allowed Southern Vermont to tie the game at 8-8. The next batter singled, putting runners on the corners, ending Ayers’ day.

Junior Dustin Armstrong (Cincinnati, OH, Country Day) relieved Ayers and got Knox out of the jam, but a bunt single gave SVC a 9-8 advantage. The run was charged to Ayers, who allowed two runs in 1/3 of an inning. No more damage was done in the inning as Armstrong closed the door by inducing a fly out and a strike out.

Junior Phil Tallman (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) pinch hit for the Prairie Fire to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Tallman battled through the nine-pitch at bat before hitting a single to left field and stealing second base.

Senior Matt Lee (Fullerton, CA, Servite) followed with a single that sent Tallman to third. Lee stole second base while senior Kyle Walenga (San Francisco, CA, Waldorf) was at the plate, which proved crucial. Walenga hit a slow roller to the shortstop that scored Tallman. Walenga was thrown out at first, but more importantly he tied the game at 9-9.

White was intentionally walked, but one of the pitches sailed over the catcher’s head --advancing Lee to third. Senior Caleb Weaver (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) then hit a bloop single to right field, scoring Lee and sending Knox to a 10-9 victory over the Mountaineers.

Armstrong (1-0) earned the win on the mound for the Fire.  He surrendered just one hit and struck out one in 2/3 of an inning of relief.  Junior Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates) was 3-for-5 at the plate with three runs batted in. Weaver (two RBIs), White (three runs, one RBI), Lee (three runs, one RBI), and Hoffman (one RBI) added two hits apiece.

In the afternoon game against Lawrence, first-year Marty Salazar (Normal, IL, Normal Community) took the mound for his first career start for Knox.

The Prairie Fire got on the board in the first inning after Tallman stole two bases and scored on an error. Tallman went 1-for-2 and also reached base two other times after he was hit by pitches.  Tallman scored two runs and swiped three bases, including home in the fifth inning that accounted for Knox’s third and final run of the game that trimmed the Lawrence lead to 6-3.

The Vikings (6-3) tacked on another run in the bottom half of the fifth for the final run of the contest.

Salazar (0-1) took the loss on the hill.  He went three innings and gave up six runs, four earned, five hits, walked five and struck out two.

First-year Jeremy Gogoel (Hampshire, IL, Hampshire) also pitched three innings for the Prairie Fire (3-2). He allowed one run on four hits with three walks and one strike out. White gave up only one hit in two innings of work out of the bullpen in his first appearance of the season.

Seven Knox batters each had one hit against the Vikings.

Lawrence starting pitcher Drew Doares picked up the win on the hill after a seven inning performance.  He surrendered three runs on five hits and struck out eight.

Knox takes the field for one game on Friday against the University of Wisconsin-Stout at 10:00 a.m. (EST)

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