Galesburg, Ill.  – A baseball player for the Prairie Fire has won a weekly award from the Midwest Conference following a dominant week at the plate.

Senior Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates) batted .579 (11-for-19) with one home run, 14 RBIs, six runs scored, and six stolen bases in his last four games – all wins by Knox.

The Prairie Fire pounded opposing pitchers for 62 runs in doubleheader sweeps at home against Robert Morris – Springfield and Beloit College last weekend.  Knox has won five straight and boosted its season record to 9-4 entering Midwest Conference South Division play later this week.

Smoy has been named the Midwest Conference Baseball Performer of the Week.  A three-time first team All-Midwest Conference selection, Smoy has three straight multi-hit games – including two with four hits.

Smoy was 5-for-8 with nine RBIs, three runs scored, and three stolen bases as the Prairie Fire swept Robert Morris 19-1 and 19-2 in the first games of the season played at Blodgett Field on March 29.

His offensive tear continued against Beloit with six hits in 11 at-bats, one home run, five RBIs, three runs, and three stolen bases.  Knox defeated the Buccaneers 9-8 (10 innings) and 15-9 on March 30 in games that were originally scheduled to be played in Beloit.  The twinbill with the Bucs was moved to Blodgett Field because of unplayable field conditions at Beloit's home park.

Smoy is now hitting .358 with one home run and a team-high 23 runs batted in.  He also leads the team with 19 hits and shares team-high honors with 27 total bases and seven stolen bases in seven attempts.

In addition, Smoy owns a .414 on base percentage and has struck out only two times in a team-leading 53 at-bats.  He's been solid defensively as well with no errors in 19 chances playing right field.

Smoy and the Prairie Fire look to continue their hot hitting when they welcome Cornell College on Saturday in the first game of a Midwest Conference South Division doubleheader at Blodgett Field.

The league's coaches picked Knox to win the Midwest Conference South in the 2014 preseason poll.  The poll has Cornell (8-6) finishing second in the MWC South and joining the Prairie Fire in the Midwest Conference Tournament on May 9 and 10.  The winner of the MWC North Division is the tournament host this year.