Box Score
GALESBURG, Illinois – An eight-run fourth inning by Illinois Wesleyan was too much for the Prairie Fire to overcome in a 12-3 non-conference loss Tuesday at Blodgett Field.

Sophomore Drake Sykes (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) had two hits and sophomore Paul Sanders (Rock Island, IL, Rock Island) walked three times.  Sykes led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple and came around to score the first run of the game for Knox.

The Titans (15-6) broke through with a bases-loaded single in the top of the fourth, the first of five straight hits that plated six runs with nobody out.  A pair of runs with two outs extended the lead to 8-0.

The Prairie Fire (6-11) closed the gap to 8-3 in the fifth inning on a hit by first-year Matt McCaffrey (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) and an error that cleared the bases with two on and two out.  The inning ended with a strikeout.

Five relievers combined to allow just one hit the rest of the game for the Titans, who added three runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh.

Illinois Wesleyan outhit the Prairie Fire 15-5 overall.

Senior Ryder Borre (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) started on the mound for Knox and was charged with the loss.  He gave up eight runs (six earned) and seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

The Prairie Fire play the next four games against Midwest Conference South Division rival Monmouth College this weekend.  The first of two at Blodgett Field begins at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday.  The series shifts to Monmouth for the last two games on Sunday.