GALESBURG, Illinois—The first win of the season is always the toughest, but not on this occasion for the Prairie Fire Softball team. Knox picked up its first win of the season in game one of a doubleheader, and home opener, against MacMurray College.
 
Game one saw 25 total runs in the standard seven innings. Only a single run in the first inning left the Fire ready to jump on offense, and they did. Kyleigh Guthals (Clovis, NM, Clovis) started the scoring with a double to score Kristen Koviekis (Tinley Park, IL, Lincoln-Way North), then Chelsey Howard (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) singled to score Guthals. MacMurray tied it up in the top of the second, but the Fire weren't finished. Knox scored seven runs in the 3rd and 4th innings.
 
A steady MacMurray comeback came in the 4th and 6th innings and they took 12-10 lead in the top of the sixth. Knox would not go down, though, as Katy Coseglia (Willowbrook, IL, Hinsdale Central) scored on a passed ball to start the rally. Kaly Davidson (Needham, MA, Needham) then sent a ground ball up the middle to score Koviekis and the score was tied 12 all. Koviekis came up again in the bottom of the 7th with the bases loaded and took ball four to win the game for the Prairie Fire.
 
Game one saw 12 hits from the Prairie Fire offense, Kristen Koviekis led the way with three; Guthals, Howard, Davidson, and Valerie Froeming (Alturas, CA, Modoc) all had two hits. Guthals and Davidson led the team with 3 RBI's apiece. The game saw an impressive offensive display as the Fire scored the most runs they have all season.
 
Game two was not as fortunate for the Fire as they dropped the matchup 18-8 in five innings. The Fire scored four runs in both the 2nd and 5th innings but the deficit was too great as the offense couldn't get going as they had in the previous game. Koviekis, Guthals, and Davidson all had two hits in the game, but with all but one of the RBI's in the game coming in the top half of the lineup, the offense could not keep up.

A split on the day was a satisfactory outcome as the Prairie Fire picked up their first win of the season in the home opener. They will look to continue their success when they take on Iowa Wesleyan on March 26 at home.