Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Galesburg, Ill. – The Prairie Fire concluded the conference portion of the season schedule with a win over rival Monmouth College, on Senior Day, Sunday afternoon at Blodgett Field.

Senior pitcher Peter Marquardt (Clarendon Hills, lL, Hinsdale Central), one of 10 Knox players suiting up for the last Midwest Conference games of their careers, handcuffed the Fighting Scots in a 5-3 victory for Knox in the doubleheader finale between the teams.

Monmouth won the first contest, 7-3.

Marquardt (4-4) allowed one earned run and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win in the nightcap.  Seniors Bryan Leslie (Richmond, IL, Richmond-Burton) and Dustin Armstrong (Columbus, OH, Worthington) worked out of the bullpen and held off the Fighting Scots the rest of the way to preserve the victory.  Armstrong worked a perfect ninth inning for his fourth save.

The Prairie Fire (15-19, 4-12 MWC South) plated three runs in the first inning to grab the early lead.  Sophomore Drew Osborn (Moline, IL, Moline) provided the big blow with a two-out, two-run double.  Osborn scored the third run on an infield error by Monmouth.

The Fighting Scots (16-18, 7-9 MWC South) got one of the runs back on an error in the top of the third to pull within two, 3-1.

Marquardt shut down Monmouth's offense over the next three innings while the Prairie Fire added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 5-1 advantage.  Senior Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates) reached on an error that scored Derek Cochran (Auburn, IL, Auburn) with the first run.  First-year Ryan Weitendorf (New Lenox, IL, Lincoln-Way East) drove in the other run with a ground ball that scored junior Michael Bohnhoff (Omaha, NE, Mt. Michael Benedictine).

The Scots chipped away with a run in the seventh and another in the eighth inning to close the gap to 5-3.  Armstrong slammed the door shut with three fly ball outs in the top of the ninth.

Monmouth held an 11-2 edge in hits, but committed four errors.

The Fighting Scots jumped in front in the first game with three unearned runs in the top of the third inning off senior hurler Paul Mills (Moline, IL, Moline).  Two runs scored on errors by the Prairie Fire, who had three in the inning and five overall.

Knox responded with an RBI single by senior Jackson White (Grayslake, IL, Grayslake Central) in the bottom of the third to shave the deficit to 3-1.

Monmouth regained a three-run lead with a single by Ryan Crandall that brought home a teammate in the top of the fourth.  Crandall followed with another RBI single in the sixth frame that made it a 5-1 game.

The Prairie Fire fought back and closed the gap to 5-3 on a two-run single by senior Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates) in the bottom of the seventh.

The Scots countered with a single that scored two runners in the eighth inning to close out the scoring.

The teams combined for 26 hits in the contest – 15 by Monmouth and 11 by Knox.
  
Senior Phil Tallman (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South), senior Michael O'Connell (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South), and Leslie had two hits apiece for the Prairie Fire.  First-year Paul Sanders (Rock Island, IL, Rock Island) reached base three times with a single and two walks.

Mills (3-4) suffered the loss after he pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up five runs (one earned) and 10 hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

The Prairie Fire wrap up the 2014 season with a doubleheader against Millikin University (8-30) on Tuesday at Blodgett Field.  The first game starts at 2:00 p.m.

THE KNOX BASEBALL SENIORS

Ten Prairie Fire players were recognized on Senior Day prior to the first game against Monmouth: Derek Cochran, Nathaniel Grady (Antelope, CA, Oakmont), Bryan Leslie, Dustin Armstrong, Michael O'Connell, Phil Tallman, Jackson White, Peter Marquardt, Paul Mills, and Erik Smoy.