FORT MYERS, Florida - The Prairie Fire softball team dropped a pair of games in their first day of the Gene Cusic Classic.

Wilmington (Ohio) took an early 5-0 lead thanks to a four-run second inning, but Knox scored two in the fifth to keep the game alive. The Quakers added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game away.

Alfred State scored four runs in the first three innings against Knox, but the Prairie Fire responded with 3 runs of their own to make the score 4-3 at the bottom of the third. Knox added four in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-4 lead, but the Pioneers scored 10 runs over the next two innings and held on for a 15-7 victory.  

Clare Hensley finished with 3 hits and one RBI for the Prairie Fire. First-year Kylie Wolf picked up 2 hits and 3 RBI. Mady Ferris, Katy Coseglia, Kenzie Funk and Casey Hipp each added a pair of hits.

Knox returns to action on March 15 the Gene Cusic Classic against Crown College and New Jersey City University.