GALESBURG, Illinois - In the last regular season game for the Prairie Fire, Knox College took on Ripon College at home.
 
The Prairie Fire took the lead in the top of the first inning of game one. Britney Salinas walked and advanced to second base. With two runners on, Katy Coseglia knocked a single to score the game's first run. With that RBI, Katy Coseglia is now the school record holder for most RBIs in a season! A popup to the pitcher would end the inning for the Prairie Fire.
 
The offenses for both teams would stall in the middle innings before a run by Ripon would tie the game. An eighth inning explosion highlighted by a Kenzie Funk home run would extend the Prairie Fire lead to three. However, Ripon would answer with their own three-run inning. With a tie heading into the 9th, the Prairie Fire needed just one run to win the game. That run came courtesy of a Mady Ferris RBI single and the Prairie Fire won 5-4.
 
With a little bit of deja vu, the Prairie Fire would once again score the first run of the game against Ripon in game two. Both teams then went scoreless into the top of the fifth, but Mady Ferris came up big with an RBI double to score a runner and the Prairie Fire took a 4-0 lead.
 
Holding a comfortable 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Prairie Fire needed just three outs to win the game. Alas, the Red Hawks scored five runs to walk off with a win.
 
Ferris picked up five hits in the doubleheader and Britney Salinas added three hits.
 
"A home split is a great way to end our year," said head coach Erin Rutledge. "We will miss our senior Bea, she has been a great leader and captain this year. The team played extremely well and kept the energy up through all 16 innings today and we are looking forward to next year."