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JACKSONVILLE, Illinois – Big innings by Illinois College were costly as the Prairie Fire lost 15-0 and 17-5 in the final Midwest Conference South doubleheader of the season for both teams Sunday afternoon.

The Lady Blues did all of their scoring in the first three innings, including a 12-run second, to win the opener.  Fifteen of IC's 17 hits were singles, but it was a triple in the bottom of the first that drove in the first two runs of the game.

Knox (2-28, 2-13) had two runners in scoring position after first-year Kristen Koviekis (Tinley Park, IL, Lincoln-Way North) was hit by a pitch to lead off the contest and senior Rhiannon Neuville (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) followed with a single.  But a strikeout, a groundout, and another strikeout prevented the Prairie Fire from digging out of an early 2-0 hole.

After Knox stranded two more runners in the top of the second, Illinois College (14-19, 6-9) exploded for 12 runs on 12 hits to for an insurmountable 14-0 lead.
Another run in the third frame put the hosts up 15-0.

The Prairie Fire finished with four hits, all singles.

First-year Alannah Sanchez (Espanola, NM, McCurdy) absorbed the loss in four innings of work in the circle for Knox.

Knox took its first lead of the day right off the bat in the finale.  Sophomore Chelsey Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) drew a bases-loaded walk and senior Brittney Price (Wyoming, IL, Stark County) smacked a two-run single to make it 3-0.

IC answered with seven runs in the bottom of the first and scored again in the second inning to move in front, 8-3.

Price added an RBI double in the top of the third that cut the deficit in half at 8-4.

The Lady Blues extended the lead to 11-4 in the bottom of the third.

A sacrifice fly by senior Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) made it 11-5 in the top of the fourth.  A six-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth, including three on a triple that cleared the bases, accounted for the final runs of the game.

IC held a 10-7 advantage in total hits and drew nine walks.

Price led the Prairie Fire with two hits and three RBI.  First-year Emily Stevenson (Tinley Park, IL, Andrew) added two hits and scored a run.

Koviekis pitched four innings and took the loss for Knox.

The Prairie Fire were scheduled to conclude the season at home against Eureka College.  But because Saturday's doubleheader at IC was moved to Sunday because of rain, the doubleheader against Eureka was cancelled.