Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score
Monmouth, IL – The Prairie Fire added two more wins against Monmouth College by sweeping the Fighting Scots in a doubleheader 16-2 and 3-2 on Saturday at Glasgow Field.
Knox (11-13, 5-2 MWC South) has won five of its last six games. The only hiccup was a 7-2 non-conference setback last Wednesday night at Augustana College.
The Prairie Fire has won six straight against the Scots dating back to last season. Knox's four victories this season without a loss to Monmouth marks a first since the teams began playing home and away doubleheaders in league play. The Fire went 5-1 against MC in 2008 en route to the Midwest Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The only setback against the Fighting Scots that season was an 11-9 defeat on April 26, 2008 in the first game of a twinbill at Monmouth.
Monmouth (9-19, 2-6 MWC South) has lost four straight games and seven of their last eight. The Prairie Fire posted a pair of come-from-behind victories, 11-8 and 10-9 in 12 innings, last Tuesday at Blodgett Field.
The first game on Saturday in Monmouth was all Prairie Fire.
First-year pitcher Kenny Blanchard (Morton Grove, IL, Niles West) got the starting nod on the mound for Knox. He held Monmouth without a hit for the first 6 1/3 innings while junior Caleb Weaver (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg), sophomore Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates), and junior Michael Schroeder (Glenview, IL, Glenbrook South) hurt the Scots at the plate.
Blanchard struck out two and walked three in earning his fourth (4-1) win of the season. The only hit he allowed was a one out double in the top of the seventh inning. Junior Gabe Ayers (Hanna City, IL, Farmington Community) tossed the final 2 2/3 innings for the Fire. He surrendered two unearned runs on a pair of hits and struck out four.
Weaver had four hits, including his fourth home run of the season -- a three run shot -- and drove in five runs. Smoy added three hits and three RBI while Schroeder had two hits and four runs batted in for the Prairie Fire.
The pitching was strong again for Knox in the second game and allowed the offense to come through in a key situation, leading to another win, the fourth straight against Monmouth College this season.
First-year hurler Nathaniel Grady (Antelope, CA, Oakmont) started for the Fire and threw six solid innings. The Scots scored a run on two hits off Grady, who recorded two strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore Bryan Leslie (Richmond, IL, Richmond-Burton) earned his second win of the season (2-0) in relief after giving up one run on one hit.
Knox scored the first run of the game in the top of the sixth. Schroeder singled, stole second and third base, and came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore Phil Tallman (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) for a 1-0 lead.
The Scots tied the game in the seventh after the first two hitters reached and a ground ball out scored a run.
Schroeder had the big hit for the Prairie Fire. He singled home a pair of runs with two outs to give his team a 3-1 advantage.
Monmouth scored a run in the ninth to inch closer. The game ended when a man on base for the Scots was tagged out in a rundown.
Schroeder and sophomore Jackson White (Grayslake, IL, Grayslake Central) had two hits apiece for Knox.
The Prairie Fire welcomes Robert Morris University – Springfield for a doubleheader on Tuesday. Knox defeated RMU on April 12 in Springfield with a six run ninth inning after trailing 3-0.
The first game at Blodgett Field starts at 3:00.
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