March 15, 2011:
Prairie Fire 10
St. Joseph's College 7
The offense was clicking in the 2011 season-opener for the Fire, who scored five runs in the first two innings for a 5-0 lead. Sophomore Matt Lee (Fullerton, California) provided the big blow for Knox with a grand slam in the second inning. St. Joseph's got on the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom half of the second inning to cut the deficit to 5-2. Lee drove in his fifth run of the game in the top of the fourth inning to extend the Prairie Fire lead to 6-2. Sophomore Kyle Walenga (San Francisco, California) drove in four runs with a single in the fifth inning and a double in the sixth to put the game out of reach. Both the Prairie Fire (1-0) and the Golden Eagles (2-6) banged out 13 hits apiece in the game. Senior Colin Davis (Canton, Illinois) started on the mound for Knox and earned the win. He scattered seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out two. Knox used four pitchers in relief of Davis over the final 3 2/3 innings. The Prairie Fire meets St. Lawrence University (NY) and Westminster College (MO) on March 16.
March 16, 2011:
St. Lawrence University 7
Prairie Fire 6
The Saints earned their first win of the season in dramatic fashion. The Prairie Fire plated one run in the second inning, three in the fourth and one in the top half of the sixth inning for a 5-3 lead. After allowing a run in the sixth, Knox got it back in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-4 lead before St. Lawrence rallied. The Saints (1-4) scored in the seventh to close the gap to 6-5, tied the game at 6-6 with another score in the bottom of the eighth and won it with a single tally in the ninth. The Prairie Fire outhit St. Lawrence 15-8 in the game but could only manage a single over the final 2 2/3 innings against the Saint bullpen. Sophomore Gabe Ayers (Hanna City, Illinois) suffered the loss on the mound. He surrendered two hits, an earned run and walked two in 1 1/3 innings of relief. First-year hurler Paul Mills (Moline, Illinois) got his first college start on the bump. He threw three innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Five Prairie Fire players had at least two hits, led by first-year outfielder Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, Illinois) -- who batted in the lead-off spot -- with three. Sophomore Michael Schroeder (Glenview, Illinois) and junior David Jewell (Spring Grove, Illinois) each had two hits and two runs batted in hitting in the third and fourth spots in the order, respectively. First-year outfielder Dustin Armstrong (Worthington, Ohio) and sophomore catcher Kyle Walenga (San Francisco, California) both contributed run-scoring hits. The Prairie Fire (1-1) tries to bounce back from its first loss of the season in the second game of the day against Westminster College (4-5).
Prairie Fire 10
Westminster College 4
The Fire offense continued its hot streak against the Blue Jays. Knox got to Westminster starting pitcher Josh Dawson early and cruised to victory. Dawson gave up eight runs, five of them earned, and four hits while surrendering five walks. He left in the third inning, when the Prairie Fire put the game away with seven runs. Jon Simpher pitched the rest of the way for the Blue Jays, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out four. Sophomore outfielder CJ Foster (Batavia, Illinois) drove in the first run of the third inning with a single after driving in both of the Fire's first inning runs with a single. Sophomore Michael Schroeder (Glenview, Illinois) provided the big blow of the third with a three-run triple. He and Foster led the way with three RBIs each. Knox had 11 hits to just five for the Blue Jays. The Prairie Fire (2-1) has put together three straight games with at least 10 hits. Westminster scored its first run in the bottom of the second inning off of Fire starting pitcher Peter Marquardt (Clarendon Hills, Illinois), who earned the win. Westminster scored its other three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning against the first-year hurler. Marquardt tossed six innings of five-hit ball and allowed four runs, three earned, to go along with five walks. The Knox bullpen was lights out against the Blue Jays. Senior Zach Ricketts (Galesburg, Illinois) and first-year pitcher Dustin Armstrong (Worthington, Ohio) combined to throw three innings of shutout and hitless relief following Marquardt's solid first college start. Ricketts, who pitched two innings, walked one and hit a batter while Armstrong walked one in his inning of work. Junior outfielder Dexter Brown (St. Joseph, Minnesota) had two hits for Knox, including a solo home run in the eighth inning, and drove in a pair of runs. The Prairie Fire resumes play March 17 against Lakeland College of Wisconsin (3-1).
March 17, 2011:
Lakeland College 8
Prairie Fire 0
The Muskees pitching staff made things tough on the Prairie Fire, which couldn't get much going offensively. Lakeland (4-1) banged out 12 hits while holding the Prairie Fire (2-2) to just four. Knox entered the game with Lakeland averaging nearly nine runs and 13 hits per contest. The Prairie Fire left eight men on base while Lakeland stranded 11. The Muskies scored two runs in the first, third and fourth innings and added single tallies in the sixth and seventh. First-year utility player Jackson White (Grayslake, Illinois) had three of the Prairie Fire's four hits. First-year pitcher Chris Fields (Princeton, Illinois) suffered the loss in his first start of the season. He struggled a bit with his control, walking two and hitting three batters. Fields surrendered six runs and six hits while striking out one in four innings pitched. Knox looks to rebound March 18 against Luther College (IA) in a doubleheader. The first game starts at 5:00 p.m. (EDT) followed by the finale at 8:00 p.m. (EDT). Officials have moved the location of the game from the main field to the second field, cancelling the live video stream that had been planned for the two games.
March 18, 2011:
Luther College 6
Prairie Fire 0
The Norse (3-0) scored three runs in the third inning to open the scoring and held the Fire (2-3) to one hit. Junior David Jewell (Spring Grove, Illinois) singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning, the only base runner Knox had in the game. Senior Jordan Ball (Cuba, Illinois) started on the mound for the Prairie Fire and suffered the loss. He gave up six runs -- three earned -- and six hits with four strike outs and seven walks in six innings.
Luther College 6
Prairie Fire 1
The Norse (4-0) plated single runs in the first, third and fourth innings before adding three more in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach. The Fire (2-4) scored its lone run in the final inning on an RBI single by first-year infielder Doug Lillibridge (Byron, Illinois). Luther outhit Knox 6-5 in the game. Junior outfielder Dexter Brown (St. Joseph, Minnesota) led the Prairie Fire offense with three hits, including a triple. Sophomore Ryan Stoens (Bartonville, Illinois) got the starting nod on the hill for Knox. He took the loss despite throwing well. Stoens surrerndered two hits and one earned run with two strikeouts and four walks in five innings. Next up is a nine inning game March 19 against SUNY New Paltz (NY).
March 19, 2011:
SUNY New Paltz 10
Prairie Fire 1
The Hawks (4-3) won their second straight while handing the Fire (2-5) its fourth straight loss. SUNY had 18 hits in the game and started the scoring early with four runs in the first inning. Knox was held to five hits, the fourth straight game the offense generated five or less, while the defense committed five errors. First-year Michael O'Connell (Park Ridge, Illinois) drove in the Fire's only run in the game with a single in the seventh inning. Knox's hitters had problems making contact against the five Hawks pitchers used in the game, striking out 12 times. First-year pitcher Paul Mills (Moline, Illinois) started for the Fire. He was touched for seven runs, five earned, and 10 hits in four innings. Senior Zach Ricketts (Galesburg, Illinois) and sophomore Nikko Juarez (Momence, Illinois) held SUNY New Paltz scoreless over the final four innings. Juarez threw the final three and allowed five hits while Ricketts blanked the Hawks in his one inning of work. The Prairie Fire tries to get back on track March 20 against Colby College (ME).
March 20, 2011:
Prairie Fire 8
Colby College 5
The offense was clicking again and the Fire (3-5) put a four-game slide in the rear view mirror with the victory. The Mules, coming off of a doubleheader split March 19 against Luther College (IA), fell to 1-2 on the season. The eight runs marked the third best offensive output by Knox so far this season after scoring 10 runs in victories against St. Joseph's College and Westminster College March 15 and March 16. The Fire bounced back from a 2-0 deficit in the first inning with a run in the third, two in the fourth and four in the fifth. Knox had 12 hits in the game, led by sophomore infielder Doug Lillibridge (Byron, Illinois) with three. Junior David Jewell (Spring Grove, Illinois) drove in two runs and scored twice. Sophomore CJ Foster (Batavia, Illinois) had two hits, an RBI and scored twice and first-year outfielder Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, Illinois) contributed two hits and an RBI. Senior Colin Davis (Canton, Illinois) improved to 2-0 on the mound. He settled in after surrendering two runs and two his in the first inning to toss six innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out four. First-year reliever Dustin Armstrong (Worthington, Ohio) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his first save of the season. The Fire ends its Florida trip March 21 with a game against Plymouth State University (1-3) of New Hampshire.
March 21, 2011:
Prairie Fire 7
Plymouth State University 3
The Fire (4-5) wrapped up its spring trip in Fort Meyers, Florida with a victory and a two-game winning streak. After the offense struggled over a four game stretch between March 17 and March 19, combining for just two runs, the team left the Sunshine State having scored 15 runs in the last two games.
The Prairie Fire's home and Midwest Conference opener against Illinois College March 26 was postponed because of inclement weather. The games are rescheduled for May 7 at Blodgett Field at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Also postponed is the Fire's doubleheader at home March 27 against Washington University (MO). Those games will be made up April 3 at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at Knox.
Up next for Coach Jami Isaacson's squad is a doubleheader at Beloit College March 29. The first game of the twinbill begins at 1:00 p.m. followed by the second contest at 3:30 p.m.
