Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
GALESBURG, Illinois – The Prairie Fire defeated MacMurray College 10-6 in the finale of a doubleheader after an 8-1 loss in the opener Wednesday afternoon at Blodgett Field.

First-year Matt McCaffrey (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) drove in four runs and sophomore Drake Sykes (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) had three hits, including an RBI single that gave Knox the lead for good in the game two victory.  Sykes extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

The Highlanders plated three runs in the top of the third for a 5-3 advantage.  A hit by first-year Brandon Dempsey (Washington, IL, Washington) that scored Sykes in the bottom of the third cut the deficit to one, and a two-run single by McCaffrey in the fourth put the Prairie Fire back on top, 6-5.

MacMurray (14-16) added a run in the top of the fifth to tie the game, 6-6.  Junior Marty Salazar (Normal, IL, Normal Community) provided a big lift out of the bullpen for Knox with a strikeout that stranded the bases loaded.

The Prairie Fire (9-14) pulled away in the bottom of the sixth, fueled by a one-out hit from Sykes that scored sophomore Paul Sanders (Rock Island, IL, Rock Island) for a 7-6 lead.  A double by McCaffrey plated two more runs, and he came around to score on a single off the bat of sophomore Ryan Weitendorf (New Lenox, IL, Lincoln-Way East).

Salazar (2-1) pitched 1.1 innings of hitless relief to earn the win.

Knox outhit the Highlanders 13-12 in the contest.  Weitendorf joined Sykes with three hits, Dempsey had two, and Sanders had a big day on the bases with three steals and three runs scored.

In the first game, MacMurray scored three runs in the second inning and never looked back.

The lone run for the Prairie Fire scored on a double by Sykes in the bottom of the third.

The Highlanders extended the lead to 5-1 through the sixth inning before adding three more in the top of the seventh.

MacMurray held a 10-5 edge in total hits.  Three of the five Knox hits were doubles – two of them by Sykes.

First-year hurler Tom Janczur (Darien, IL, Downer's Grove South) took the loss in his first start.  He gave up three runs and five hits over three innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Prairie Fire resume MWC South Division play on Saturday against Illinois College.  The teams will square off in a doubleheader that begins at 12:00 p.m.