Springfield – The Prairie Fire offense, held in check for eight innings, came to life in a big way Thursday against Robert Morris University and claimed a dramatic 6-3 non conference win.
Held to four hits over eight innings, Knox (7-12) took advantage of opportunities in the top of the ninth, including four walks, and scored six runs on just one hit to stun the Eagles (13-17) in Springfield.
The victory snapped a four-game winless streak for the Prairie Fire.
Things did not look good for the Prairie Fire prior to their final at bat against the Eagles, who took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when leadoff hitter Jason Del Torro walked and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Mike Lesser against junior starting pitcher Ryan Stoens (Bartonville, IL, Limestone). RMU left a runner in scoring position when Stoens struck out the third place hitter, Tyler Novy, to hold the Eagles to just one run.
Junior hurler Niko Boeker was in control for eight innings, allowing Knox hitters just three singles and a double going into the ninth.
The Eagles increased their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Sophomore Paul Mills (Moline, IL, Moline) came in to pitch and walked leadoff hitter Kris Mosdale. After two groundouts moved Mosdale to third base, he scored on a Cory Wilson’s single.
Robert Morris added what they might have thought was an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. First-year hurler Kenny Blanchard (Morton Grove, IL, Niles West) got off to a good start by striking out the first batter he faced for the first out of the inning. Novy followed with a single, but an error on Blanchard allowed him to advance to third base. A sacrifice fly by Pete Dayton put the hosts up 3-0.
Boeker came out to pitch in the bottom of the ninth. He promptly hit the leadoff batter, junior Caleb Weaver (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg), and walked first-year player Andrew Sparrow (Sullivan, IL, Sullivan). RMU relieved Boeker with Jonathan Medina with two on and nobody out.
Medina walked junior Kyle Walenga (San Francisco, CA, Waldorf) to load the bases. A wild pitched scored Weaver and moved the runners on base to second and third, allowing the Prairie Fire to close the gap to 3-1. Medina then walked sophomore Michael O'Connell (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) and junior Michael Schroeder (Glenview, IL, Glenbrook South) to force in the second run of the inning as RMU held on to a 3-2 lead.
Junior Matt Lee (Fullerton, CA, Servite) went down on strikes for the first out of the inning. Senior Dexter Brown (Saint Joseph, MN, St. John's Prep) tied the game with an RBI single that moved Schroeder to second and O’Connell to third. First-year player Austen Lake (Albers, IL, Breese Central) pinch hit and reached on an error by Medina. The miscue allowed both O’Connell and Schroeder to score and give the Prairie Fire a 5-3 lead. Sophomore Jackson White (Grayslake, IL, Grayslake Central) hit a sacrifice fly that scored Brown and increased the advantage to 6-3. Robert Morris finally got out of the inning when Weaver grounded out.
Blanchard took the mound for his second inning of work in the bottom of the ninth. Mosdale singled to lead off the inning. Blanchard struck out the next batter then picked off Mosdale at first base for the second out. With one out to go, Blanchard got Del Torro on strikes to give the Prairie Fire a hard-earned, come-from-behind victory.
Blanchard (2-1) was the winning pitcher after his two innings of work. He allowed an unearned run on two hits and struck out three.
Brown was 3-for-5 with an RBI at the plate to lead the Knox offense.
The Prairie Fire resumes Midwest Conference South Division play with a doubleheader at home against Monmouth College (8-14, 2-2 MWC South) on April 17. The first game is scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m. Knox is 1-2 in Midwest Conference South Division games.
The Scots (8-14, 2-2 MWC South) are coming off a 6-2 loss against Coe College on April 9 and have lost four of their last five games. Knox tries to even its league mark at 2-2 after game two of a twinbill on April 7 at home against Grinnell College was suspended because of darkness in the top of the ninth inning after the Fire came back from an 8-6 deficit with a run in the seventh and another in the eighth to force the tie.
NOTE
The doubleheader on Tuesday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. between Knox and Monmouth was originally scheduled to be played Saturday, April 14 at Blodgett Field. The games were postponed because of rain.
The Midwest Conference baseball standings are available by clicking HERE
Follow Prairie Fire athletics on Twitter
