Game #1 box score
Game #2 box score
Rochester, IL – The Prairie Fire offense broke out in a big way on April 7 in game two of a doubleheader split with Robert Morris University of Springfield.
The Eagles scored a pair of runs first inning, which turned out to be all they’d need, and received a strong pitching performance from Julie Waite to defeat Knox 3-1 in the first game at Rochester Park despite committing four errors in the game.
RMU’s Tara Scott accounted for her team’s two first inning runs with a two run homer off Fire starting pitcher, sophomore Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington), who threw well in the loss. She allowed just one other run in the fifth inning after the first two hitters reached base and one of them scored on a ground out.
Eisha (2-6) threw a complete game and allowed three runs on six hits with six strikeouts.
The Prairie Fire had five hits in the contest. Junior Jill Krippel (Plainfield, IL, Plainfield Central), who led off the third inning with a double, scored her team’s only run when the right fielder misplayed a ball off the bat of sophomore Jordan Shaffer (Atlanta, IL, Olympia).
Krippel and senior Amanda Wollrab (Knoxville, IL, Knoxville) had two hits apiece for Knox.
The Prairie Fire offense, which scored five runs in the last five games, came to life in a big way in the second game. Knox plated five runs in the second inning, four in the fourth, and five in the sixth for a 17-6 victory that snapped a five-game slide.
Knox (4-10) got off to a good start with a run in the first inning. The first four batters reached and Shaffer put the Fire on the board when she scored on an RBI groundout by first-year player Jenna Butler (Downers Grove, IL, Downers Grove North).
Robert Morris responded with two runs in the first off sophomore hurler Anna Lemen (Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati Country Day) on a home run with one out by Tara Scott, her second long drive of the doubleheader. Lemen settled in and retired the next two hitters in order.
The Prairie Fire had one of its best offensive innings of the season with five runs on five hits in the second to reclaim the lead at 6-2.
The inning started when Wollrab walked. Lemen singled and first-year player Rhiannon Neuville-Norton (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) followed with a single. Junior Avecena Hollingsworth (Tigard, OR, Tigard) doubled later in the inning to score a pair of runs. Butler added a single and senior Beth McRill (Streamwood, IL, Streamwood) doubled, both hits sending runners home.
The Eagles cut the Fire lead in half at 6-3 with a run in the home half of the third. Knox continued a streak of scoring in every inning in the game, adding a run in the fourth to go up 7-3, before digging in and plating 10 more runs the rest of the way to earn the lopsided win.
The Prairie Fire had 20 hits in the second game and eight players had two or more. McRill had a huge day at the plate, going 4-for-4 and driving in five runs. Hollingsworth added two hits and three RBI, Lemen contributed three hits and two RBI, while Shaffer and Wollrab also drove home two runs each.
Lemen (2-4) earned the win in the circle. Eisha came on in relief to get the final two outs of the game.
Knox begins play in the annual Midwest Conference Crossover, which has the south division teams square off against the north division teams, on April 14-15 Waukegan.
The Fire meets Lawrence University (5-11), Ripon College (7-9), and Carroll University (10-4, 0-0) on Saturday, April 14. The games on Sunday, April 15 are against St, Norbert College (7-11, 2-0) and Beloit College (5-17, 0-2).
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