Box Score
MOLINE, Illinois – A five-run third inning propelled Augustana College past the Prairie Fire 15-5 Wednesday night at Swanson Stadium.

Alex Bell (Elgin, IL, Burlington Central) went 2-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base for Knox.  He tied the game, 1-1, with a single in the top of the third.  A bases-loaded walk by Ryan Weitendorf (New Lenox, IL, Lincoln-Way East) followed by a wild pitch that scored Drake Sykes (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) gave the Prairie Fire a 3-1 lead.

But the Vikings (23-10) answered with a two-run single in the next half inning to force a 3-3 tie.  Three more runs crossed the plate before the Prairie Fire ended the third frame with a strikeout.

The Prairie Fire (9-19) closed the gap to 6-5 on run-scoring singles by Bell and Sykes in the top of the fourth.  Augustana got both runs back on a pair of singles in the home half to make it 8-5.

The Vikings scored again in the fifth and erupted for six runs in the bottom of the seventh to close out the game.

Ken Bartelt (Buffalo Grove, IL, Buffalo Grove) started on the mound for Knox and was charged with the loss.

Augustana held a 17-6 edge in total hits.  Sykes was 1-for-3 with an RBI, a walk, and a steal.  Brandon Dempsey (Washington, IL, Washington) reached base twice on a pair of walks for the Prairie Fire.

Grinnell College visits Blodgett Field for a doubleheader on Saturday (weather permitting), the home finale and Senior Day for the baseball team.  The first game of the twinbill is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.