Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
JACKSONVILLE, Illinois – The Prairie Fire managed only four hits against MacMurray College and suffered a pair of 8-0 losses on the road Wednesday afternoon.

The Highlanders (18-15) limited Knox to one hit and recorded 13 strikeouts in the opener, followed by a three-hit shutout in the finale.  MacMurray has won 11 straight games.

The lone hit by the Prairie Fire in the first game was a one-out single by Alannah Sanchez (Espanola, NM, McCurdy) in the top of the fifth inning.  Winning pitcher Marissa Harris struck out the next two hitters to preserve a 5-0 lead.  She also helped herself at the plate with a double in the second inning and a homer in the fourth.

MacMurray scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.

Sanchez was charged with the loss after surrendering five earned runs and 12 hits in 4.2 innings.  She struck out one, walked one, and hit a batter.

Knox (2-27) fell behind 4-0 in the second game and never recovered.  The Highlanders banged out six hits in the first inning, including three doubles that drove in all four runs.

The Prairie Fire had a chance to strike back in the top of the second.  Chelsey Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) led off with a single, Dominique Scott (Oak Park, IL, Oak Park & River Forest) reached on an error, and Brittney Price (Wyoming, IL, Stark County) singled to load the bases with no outs.  MacMurray escaped the jam unscathed on a lineout to third base that resulted in a double play and a fly ball to left.

Kristen Koviekis (Tinley Park, IL, Lincoln-Way North) pitched for Knox in the second game.  She stranded two runners on base in a scoreless second inning, but an error in the third allowed the Highlanders to extend their lead to 5-0.

Scott had the only other hit of the game for the Prairie Fire when she singled in the top of the fourth.

After going down in order in the bottom of the fourth, MacMurray drew three straight walks to lead the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth.  An RBI single and a two-run double kicked in the eight-run mercy rule.

Koviekis took the loss after pitching 4.1 innings and allowing seven earned runs, 12 hits, and four walks.

Knox has been shut out three times in the last four games going back to a 14-0 loss to Cornell at home last Sunday.

The Prairie Fire return to Jacksonville on Saturday for a Midwest Conference South doubleheader against Illinois College, weather permitting.  The first game is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.