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Mount Vernon, IA – Cornell College shut down the Prairie Fire's offense in a pair of Midwest Conference South victories on Tuesday.

The defending MWC champion Rams defeated Knox 9-1 and 11-0, both games of the doubleheader in five innings, to remain in contention for a spot next month's four-team conference tournament.

Cornell (23-8, 10-3 MWC) halted the Prairie Fire's winning streak at two while extending its own run to seven straight victories.

Knox scored a combined 52 runs in MWC South games against Monmouth College and Grinnell College last week.  That included a 22-1 win against the Pioneers that marked the most runs scored by a Knox softball team against an NCAA opponent.

The Prairie Fire, going up against a Cornell pitching staff that began the day ranked second in the Midwest Conference with a 2.11 ERA, got off to a good start in the first game.

Junior Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) gave Knox a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a single that scored senior Alyssa Bleidorn (Batavia, IL, Batavia), who drew a one out walk.

The Rams answered with a two out, two-run homer in the bottom of the first for a 2-1 advantage.

Cornell added two runs in the third, one in the fourth, and ended the game with four runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The Rams outhit Knox 15-4.  First-year Samantha Nordstedt (Skokie, IL, Niles North) had the Prairie Fire's lone extra-base hit when she doubled in the top of the fourth inning.

Cornell ace Jackie Sernek, the 2013 MWC South Co-Pitcher of the Year, limited Knox to a pair hits after the first inning and earned her league-leading 13th win of the season.

Senior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) took the loss in the circle after working 4 1/3 innings.

The Rams jumped out to an early lead while limiting the Prairie Fire to three hits in the finale.

Cornell scored three runs in the bottom of the first before exploding for seven runs in the third inning.

The Rams had 15 hits in the contest.

Two Cornell pitchers combined for the shutout, striking out five.  They allowed only four Knox batters to reach base.

Junior Rhiannon Neuville (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) led off the game with a walk and moved to second on a two out single by Behrens.  A line-out to right field stranded both runners.

First-year Chelsey Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) singled with two outs in the fourth inning, and sophomore Lorena Amarillo (Chicago, IL, Noble Street College Prep) smacked a two out double down the right field line in the fifth inning.

Sophomore Karli Shields (Naperville, IL, Neuqua Valley) was charged with the loss.  She pitched 2 2/3 innings and recorded two strikeouts.

The Prairie Fire (4-27, 2-11 MWC) play their final home games of the season on Saturday, which is Senior Day, against Illinois College.  The seniors will be recognized prior to the first game against the Lady Blues, which is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.