Game #1 box score
Game #2 box score
Galesburg, IL – The Prairie Fire lost the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday against Grinnell College, but the second game is still in doubt.
The Pioneers (6-12, 1-0 MWC South) scored nine runs in the first inning of game one and kept hitting in a 21-8 Midwest Conference South Division win at Blodgett Field.
Knox (6-11, 1-2 MWC South) cut the deficit to 10-3 in the second inning after the Pioneers plated a run in the top half of the frame and the Fire scored three times. Junior Michael Schroeder (Glenview, IL, Glenbrook South) had a sacrifice fly RBI, sophomore Doug Lillibridge (Byron, IL, Byron ) drove in a run with a single and sophomore Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates) delivered a run scoring single to provide the scoring in the inning.
Junior Caleb Weaver (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) doubled to drive in a run in the bottom of the third inning to get the Fire within 10-4. The Pioneers responded with three runs in the top of the fourth to increase the lead to 13-4.
The Prairie Fire refused to quit, scoring four runs in the fourth to trim the deficit to 13-8 and knocking out Grinnell starting pitcher Ben Pope. Pope surrendered eight runs on 11 hits.
Smoy led off with a double and sophomore Michael O'Connell (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) followed with a double to drive Smoy in. Sophomore Jackson White (Grayslake, IL, Grayslake Central) singled, scoring O’Connell. White came home on a single by junior Ryan Hoffman (Sugar Grove, IL, Marmion Academy). Weaver, who singled in the inning, scored the fourth run for the Fire.
Grinnell put eight more runs on the board while holding Knox scoreless the rest of the way. The Pioneers outhit Knox 16 to 11.
Sophomore Peter Marquardt (Clarendon Hills, lL, Hinsdale Central) (2-3) had a tough start for the Fire. He allowed 10 runs in one-plus inning of work and was saddled with the loss.
Smoy, Hoffman, White, and Weaver had two hits apiece and drove in a run for Knox.
The Prairie Fire came back from an 8-6 deficit in the second game by scoring a run in the seventh on White’s first home run of the season and a run in the eighth on a double by Smoy - who had a huge game at the plate - to force an 8-8 tie.
Before Grinnell came to the plate in the top of the ninth, the umpires and head coaches met at home plate and decided to suspend the game because of darkness. A date to complete the game is still pending. Knox plays a doubleheader at Grinnell on May 6.
Both teams scored a run in the first inning for a 1-1 tie going into the second stanza. The Fire scored on an RBI double by White.
Sophomore Dustin Armstrong (Cincinnati, OH, Country Day), who started the second game for Knox, left a Pioneer runner stranded in scoring position to get out of the second inning and keep the score at 1-1.
The Prairie Fire scored twice in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Senior David Jewell (Spring Grove, IL, Richmond-Burton) led off with a double and scored after Smoy’s infield single drew an errant throw, allowing Jewell to cross the plate and Smoy to advance to second. A wild pitch sent Smoy to third, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by O’Connell.
Grinnell came back with a four run fourth inning to take its first lead of the game at 5-3.
The Prairie Fire showed its grit by reclaiming the lead with three runs in the bottom half of the fourth. The big blow was triple by Smoy with the bases loaded that gave Knox a 6-5 advantage.
Following a scoreless fifth inning, the Pioneers added three runs in the sixth to grab the lead back at 8-6. First-year hurler Nathaniel Grady (Antelope, CA, Oakmont) came on in relief and held Grinnell in check the rest of the way, allowing the Prairie Fire an opportunity to tie the game.
Grady tossed 2 1/3 shutout innings, surrendering just one hit while with a strikeout and three walks. He retired the first two hitters in the top of the eighth before giving up his only hit – a double – then intentionally walked all-conference slugger Mike Nodzenski. Grady got clean-up hitter Matt Skelly to pop out to shortstop, ending the threat.
Through eight innings, Knox outhit Grinnell 10-9. Smoy had three hits for the Fire and drove in four runs. White also had three hits and drove in two and Jewell contributed a pair of hits and scored twice.
Knox next takes on Illinois Wesleyan on April 10 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be played at Galesburg High School’s Sundberg Field.
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