Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
MONMOUTH, Illinois – The Prairie Fire suffered 8-0 and 15-7 losses at Monmouth College in the first Midwest Conference South Division games of the season for both teams on Saturday.

Monmouth did all of its scoring early in the twinbill opener with a three-run homer in the first inning and five more runs in the second.

Knox was unable to get anything going offensively, mustering only three singles.  Senior Rhiannon Neuville (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) reached base twice on a pair of walks.

First-year pitcher Alannah Sanchez (Espanola, NM, McCurdy) took the loss for the Prairie Fire.  Sanchez (0-1) surrendered eight runs (five earned), eight hits, four walks, and struck out one in her first start of the season.

The Fighting Scots (6-7, 2-0 MWC South) raced out to another early lead in the finale with six runs in the first inning.

Knox received a spark from first-year Dominique Scott (Oak Park, IL, Oak Park & River Forest), who homered in the top of the second to cut the deficit to 6-1.  Monmouth scored twice in the home half of the inning to build a seven run cushion.

The Prairie Fire (0-10, 0-2 MWC South) stormed back in the third, plating six runs on six hits.  Senior Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) smacked a two-run double and sophomore Chelsey Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) singled to drive in two more.  An RBI single by Emily Stevenson (Tinley Park, IL, Andrew) and a wild pitch that allowed Scott to score closed the gap to 8-7.

The Fighting Scots sent seven runs across in the bottom of the third frame to take control.

Knox touched up two Monmouth pitchers for 11 hits.  Scott went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored twice, first-year Kristen Koviekis (Tinley Park, IL, Lincoln-Way North) added three hits, and Behrens had two.

Koviekis (0-7) was charnged with the loss in the circle after she allowed eight runs (seven earned), seven hits, and walked three in 1.1 innings.  Sanchez and Stevenson combined to pitch the rest of the game.

The Prairie Fire get right back after it on Sunday with a doubleheader at Iowa Wesleyan College that begins at 1:00 p.m.  The Tigers (8-6) are coming off a split with conference foe Principia (IL).