Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Galesburg, Ill. – The Prairie Fire put everything together and won the second game of a doubleheader against MacMurray College on Sunday at the Knox Softball Field.

Sophomore Karli Shields (Naperville, IL, Neuqua Valley) tossed a complete game for Knox in a 7-2 victory.  The Highlanders defeated the Prairie Fire 4-2 in the first game of the day.

MacMurray scored a run in the top of the first against Shields for an early 1-0 lead.  Shields recovered nicely, holding the Highlanders scoreless until an unearned run crossed the plate in the top of the seventh with the Prairie Fire on top 7-1.

Knox (2-18) forced a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the second when junior Brittney Price (Wyoming, IL, Stark County) took off from third base and swiped home as MacMurray tried to make a play on first-year Kaly Davidson (Needham, MA, Needham) at second base.  Price initially reached on a one-out single followed by Davidson with a double.

The Prairie Fire took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth.  First-year Samantha Nordstedt (Skokie, IL, Niles North) scored on a ground ball out by first-year Holly Bieber (Chicago, IL, Walter Payton).  Junior Rhiannon Neuville (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) gave Knox a 3-1 lead with a two out RBI single that scored Davidson.

Knox plated four more runs in the fifth inning to break the game open, 7-1.

First-year Chelsey Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) had the big blow with a two-run double.  Price added an RBI single and then came around to score on a wild pitch.

Shields (1-10) allowed only three hits after the first inning, and five overall.  She threw seven innings and gave up one earned run with two walks and two strikeouts to earn her first win of the season.

The Prairie Fire outhit the Highlanders 10-5 in the game.  Price was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and senior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) contributed two hits.

A two-run top of the fifth inning by MacMurray was the difference in the twinbill opener.

The Highlanders (3-8) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the third.  Knox answered with a two-run double by Eisha in the bottom of the inning that tied the contest, 2-2.

MacMurray regained the lead on a two-run homer in the top of the fifth and held on for the win.

Eisha (1-8) took the loss in the circle for Prairie Fire after pitching a complete game and surrendering three earned runs, 11 hits and one walk with one strikeout.

The Highlanders outhit Knox 11-6.

Eisha and junior Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) both doubled and had two hits.  Neuville also doubled for the Prairie Fire.

View photos of the game and the 2014 softball season at https://www.flickr.com/photos/knoxcollege/sets/72157643719306363/

Knox plays next in the Midwest Conference Classic, which will be held April 11-13 at Eastside Centre in East Peoria.  The Prairie Fire meet Beloit College at 1:00 p.m. and Lawrence University at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 11.