Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score
Lake Forest, IL – The Prairie Fire didn’t go quietly, taking Lake Forest College to extra innings before falling in the first game, then dropping the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday.
The Foresters won the first game 2-1 in eight innings and completed the sweep with a 9-0 victory in game two.
Knox (5-16, 0-6 MWC South) scored first in the opener with a run in the third inning for a 1-0 lead. A single by first-year infielder Rhiannon Neuville-Norton (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) brought home junior Avecena Hollingsworth (Tigard, OR, Tigard), who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.
Lake Forest (12-13, 2-0 MWC South) playing its first Midwest Conference South Division game of the season, followed with a run with two outs in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 1-1.
The Prairie Fire, held to two hits the rest of the game, couldn’t push a run across over the next five innings. Knox sophomore pitcher Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) was impressive, holding the Foresters to a run on five hits going into the bottom of the eighth.
Eisha walked the first batter of the inning. The runner was caught stealing by Fire catcher, senior Amanda Wollrab (Knoxville, IL, Knoxville), for the first out. Eisha struck out the next batter. The Foresters pulled out the victory with a single, a stolen base, and a single that scored the second and final run of the game.
Eisha (3-9) was saddled with the hard luck loss after throwing a strong game. She tossed 7 2/3 innings and allowed two earned runs on seven hits with a strikeout and five walks.
Kelly Chesnut went the distance to earn the win in the circle for LFC. She gave up one run on five hits while striking out nine and walking three.
First-year infielder Jenna Butler (Downers Grove, IL, Downers Grove North) had two hits to lead the Fire on offense in the first game.
Lake Forest jumped on Knox early in the first game with four runs on five hits in the second inning off Knox starting pitcher, sophomore Anna Lemen (Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati Country Day).
The Prairie Fire never solved LFC pitcher Molly Thomsen, who gave up three Knox singles over six innings.
The Foresters padded their lead to 9-0 with a five run sixth. LFC finished with 10 hits in the game, including three home runs.
Lemen took the loss for the Prairie Fire. She gave up four runs on five hits and walked three in four innings. Eisha came on for Lemen (2-7) to pitch the final 1 2/3 innings and allowed five runs.
Butler, sophomore Jordan Shaffer (Atlanta, IL, Olympia), and first-year outfielder Claire Neri (Melrose Park, IL, West Leyden) each had a hit for Knox.
The Fire steps out of conference on Tuesday with a doubleheader at home against MacMurray College. The games were scheduled to be played earlier this month but were postponed because of rain.
The first game against the Highlanders at the Knox Softball Field is at 3:15.
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