Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Galesburg, Ill. – The Prairie Fire fell to Illinois College in a Midwest Conference South Division doubleheader at home on Saturday.

IC defeated Knox 23-8 in the first game before completing the sweep with an 8-0 victory in the finale.

The Blueboys (15-9, 4-2 MWC South) plated four runs in their first at-bat of the day for an early lead.

The Prairie Fire shaved a run off of the deficit on a solo homer by sophomore Blake Newberg (Moline, IL, Rock Island Alleman), his third of the season, in the bottom of the second inning.

Illinois College plated four more runs off Knox senior starting pitcher Paul Mills (Moline, IL, Moline) in the top of the third to extend the lead to 8-1.

Newberg added an RBI single in the bottom of the third to cut the IC advantage to 8-2.

The Blueboys held Knox scoreless through the sixth inning while tacking on three more runs to reclaim an eight run lead at 11-2 going into the bottom of the seventh.

First-year Ryan Weitendorf (New Lenox, IL, Lincoln-Way East) and sophomore Drew Osborn (Moline, IL, Moline) drove in one run apiece with singles to pull the hosts within seven.

IC put the game out of reach with 12 runs in the top of the eighth.

The Prairie Fire accounted for the final runs of the game with four in the bottom of the inning.  First-year Paul Sanders (Rock Island, IL, Rock Island) scored on a wild pitch and Weitendorf belted a three-run homer, his team-leading fifth of the season.

Mills (2-2) suffered the loss after working six innings and allowing eight earned runs, 10 hits, and two walks while striking out four.

The Blueboys outhit Knox 26-14.

Weitendorf and Newberg combined for four hits, two of them home runs, and seven runs batted in to lead the Prairie Fire offense.  Sanders, Osborn, and senior Phil Tallman (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) added two hits apiece for Knox.

The Prairie Fire (10-10, 1-5 MWC South) struggled to find offense in the second game, finishing with two singles.

IC, like the opening contest, grabbed an early lead.  The Blueboys used a three-run homer off Knox senior hurler Peter Marquardt (Clarendon Hills, lL, Hinsdale Central) in the top of the first inning.

Illinois College also scored in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to push the lead to 7-0.  An RBI single in the top of the eighth rounded out the scoring.

Nick Visconti (4-0) shut the Prairie Fire out on two hits.  He struck out 12 and walked one to earn the win.

Senior Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates) and sophomore Austin Bevenue (Millstadt, IL, Belleville Althoff) had the only hits for Knox.

Marquardt (2-2) was charged with the loss.  He threw 4 1/3 innings and surrendered seven runs, five hits, four walks, and struck out four.

The Prairie Fire will try to turn things around against Illinois College on Sunday, when the teams play another doubleheader in Springfield, Illinois at Sacred Heart Griffin High School.  The first game begins at 12:00 p.m.