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MIDWEST CONFERENCE CLASSIC: APRIL 12-14 EAST PEORIA, IL
Complete results from the 2013 MWC Classic are available at http://www.midwestconference.org/sports/2013/4/3/SB_0403130133.aspx?id=372&
Lawrence 11 Knox 0 (5 innings)
A big first inning by Lawrence University hurt the Prairie Fire in their opening game of the MWC Classic at Eastside Centre on a chilly Friday.
The Vikings (11-6, 1-0 MWC) banged out 11 hits and scored all 11 runs in their first at bat with one out. Knox junior pitcher Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) gave up only one hit the rest of the way. Eisha (1-8) struck out three and walked two in four innings of work.
Lawrence used three pitchers and did not allow a hit to the Prairie Fire (3-16, 2-5). Knox looks to rebound in its second game of the day against Carroll University. The Pioneers entered the tournament with a 4-16 overall record.
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Carroll 8 Knox 0
Carroll University scored in the first four innings in the second loss of the day for Knox.
The Pioneers (6-16, 2-0 MWC) scored two runs in the first inning followed by a three run second for an early 5-0 lead.
The Prairie Fire (3-17, 2-5 MWC) recorded their first hit in the fourth on a double by junior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) with one out. Carroll got out of the inning without giving up a run by retiring the next two Knox hitters in order.
Carroll made it 6-0 with a run in the third and scored two more in the fourth for an 8-0 advantage.
The Prairie Fire had one other hit in the game, a single by junior Anna Lemen (Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati Country Day) in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Pioneers’ stingy pitching held Knox to four base runners in the game.
Lemen (1-4) took the loss for Knox. She allowed three earned runs and eight hits with one walk and one strikeout .
The Prairie Fire’s only game of the day on Saturday is against Beloit College (3-21, 1-3 MWC) at 1:00 p.m.
Knox 5 Beloit 0
Strong pitching and clutch hitting lead to the Prairie Fire’s first victory in the Midwest Conference Classic on Saturday.
Junior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) tossed a complete game shutout against the Buccaneers (3-23, 1-5 MWC). She scattered six hits and struck out three to earn the win.
Sophomore Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) provided a big offensive boost for Knox (4-17, 3-6 MWC) with a bases-loaded double in the top of the seventh that drove in three runs and extended the lead to 5-0. Knox scored two unearned runs, one in the third and another in the fifth, before the hit by Behrens gave her team some breathing room.
Beloit loaded the bases against Eisha (2-8) in the bottom of the seventh with a two out walk. The Prairie Fire hurler ended the game with a ground ball to third base.
Eisha also had a good day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Senior Jill Krippel (Plainfield, IL, Plainfield Central) added a pair of hits for Knox, which concludes play in the tournament on Sunday.
The Prairie Fire will meet Ripon College at 10:00 a.m. and St. Norbert College at 12:00 p.m. Ripon (7-12, 1-4 MWC) has lost four straight, but the last two have been one run defeats: 2-1 and 1-0. St. Norbert 10-10, 2-2 MWC) has split its four games played so far in East Peoria.
Ripon 9 Knox 1
Ripon College broke open a close game in the fourth inning and topped Knox in the first of two games for the Prairie Fire on Sunday.
The Red Hawks (8-13, 2-5 MWC) scored in the first inning for an early 1-0 lead. Knox answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first when sophomore Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) reached base on an infield error that allowed junior Alyssa Bleidorn (Batavia, IL, Batavia ) to cross home plate and tie the game at 1-1.
An error by the Prairie Fire (4-18, 3-7 MWC) enabled Ripon to score again in the second inning and reclaim the lead at 2-1. A six run fourth inning by the Red Hawks, who benefitted from two Knox miscues, put the game away. All six runs were unearned.
The Prairie Fire couldn’t generate any offense against the Ripon. A single by Bleidorn in the first inning was the lone hit for the Prairie Fire against Red Hawk starting pitcher Stephanie Rieuwpassa. Knox hitters only struck out once and drew three walks.
First-year Karli Shields (Naperville, IL, Neuqua Valley) was charged with the loss in the circle. Only two of the nine runs scored against her were earned. Shields (1-6) gave up seven hits, walked three, and struck out three.
The Prairie Fire and St. Norbert College square off in the final game of the tournament for both squads on Sunday at Noon.
St. Norbert 8 Knox 4 Box Score
St. Norbert College scored four runs over the final four innings while holding Knox scoreless during that stretch to finish the Midwest Conference Classic with a win.
The Green Knights (12-10, 4-2 MWC) snapped a 4-4 tie with two runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth while holding the Prairie Fire offense in check.
Two errors and a passed ball by Knox in the first inning helped St. Norbert score two runs. The Prairie Fire (4-19, 3-8 MWC) tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning when sophomore Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) smacked a two run homer, her third of the season, with two outs.
Knox grabbed a 3-2 lead in its second at bat when sophomore Brittney Price (Wyoming, IL, Stark County) led off with a double and scored when senior Jill Krippel (Plainfield, IL, Plainfield Central) reached base on an infield error.
Back-to-back extra base hits by the Knights in the top of the third inning produced two more runs to give St. Norbert a 4-3 lead. The Prairie Fire refused to go quietly and came right back to tie the contest at 4-4 on Price’s second hit of the day, an RBI single.
Knox had just one hit the rest game and committed three errors as the Green Knights used the miscues and four hits to build an 8-4 lead in the fifth inning.
Junior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) suffered the loss for the Prairie Fire. Eisha (2-9) pitched her eighth complete game of the season and surrendered three earned runs, 11 hits, two walks and struck out three.
Knox had six hits in the game and took five walks. Price and sophomore Rhiannon Neuville (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) both got on base three times.
The Prairie Fire finished the tournament with a 1-4 record and resumes play on April 18 with a doubleheader at home against Iowa Wesleyan College. Knox plays its next eight games on its home diamond after 11 days away.
The first game against Iowa Wesleyan begins at 3:00 p.m. The Tigers have won four straight to boost their record to a season-high three games over .500 at 15-12.
The next Midwest Conference South Division games for Knox are on April 21 against Grinnell College at the Knox Softball Field. The Pioneers (0-19, 0-5 MWC South) have dropped four straight against the Prairie Fire dating back to the 2010 season.
