Cape Coral, FL -The Prairie Fire ran into stingy pitching by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh while a late rally against NYU Poly came up short on Wednesday.

Knox began the day with a 10-0 loss to UW-Oshkosh. The Titans (6-4) batted around in the second and fourth innings to build a big lead while holding the Prairie Fire to two hits.  The shut out was the second straight for Oshkosh, which no-hit State University of New York-Brockport earlier in the day.

Sophomore Rhiannon Neuville (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) singled with one out in the first inning for the Prairie Fire.  Knox was unable to turn the hit into a run when Wisconsin-Oshkosh retired the next two batters on a fielder's choice and a ground out.

First-year Karli Shields (Naperville, IL, Neuqua Valley) started in the circle for the Prairie Fire.  She retired the first two hitters before a couple of errors resulted in a run and a 1-0 lead for UW-O.

The Titans plated five runs on two hits and six walks in the bottom of the second inning to extend their advantage to 6-0.

The only other hit for Knox in the game was a two out double by first-year Annie Ford (Oak Park, IL, Oak Park-River Forest) in the fourth inning.

Oshkosh added four runs in the bottom of the fourth to round out the game’s scoring.

Shields was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, two hits and five walks in 1 2/3 innings pitched.  Junior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) relieved Shields and tossed the final 2 1/3 innings.  She gave up four runs, two earned, and four hits with a strikeout and two walks.

The start time of the game was pushed back a few hours because of rain in the area earlier in the day, as was the start of the second contest between Knox and New York University Polytechnic Institute. 

NYU Poly defeated the Prairie Fire 9-5 the second game.  Knox made it interesting in the final at bat, sending the potential tying run to the plate.

The Prairie Fire (0-6) scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning, including two on sacrifice flies by sophomore Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) and senior Jill Krippel (Plainfield, IL, Plainfield Central) with the bases loaded.  Shields doubled with two outs to bring home the third run.  A walk to junior Anna Lemen (Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati Country Day) with two outs loaded the bases again for the Prairie Fire.  The Fighting Blue Jays (6-4) got out of the jam by getting junior Avecena Hollingsworth (Tigard, OR, Tigard) to ground out.

Junior Alyssa Bleidorn was 3-for-3 with two runs scored for Knox.  Eisha added two hits and Behrens had two RBIs.  Lemen, the Prairie Fire's starting pitcher in the contest, took the loss.  She surrendered four runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings.  Eisha pitched the final 3 2/3 innings and gave up five runs, two earned, six hits, two walks and struck out three.

Knox is idle on Thursday and resumes play on Friday against Worcester State University at 9:00 a.m. (EST) and the University of Wisconsin-Superior at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time.

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