GALESBURG, Illinois - The Prairie Fire baseball team saw a pair of comebacks come up short against Illinois College on Thursday.

The Blueboys jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning of game one, but Knox responded with three runs in the bottom of the first. Illinois College took an 18-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but the Prairie Fire erupted for nine runs over the next two innings to put the game within reach. Knox led off with a baserunner in the bottom of the ninth, but they were unable to push across any more runs. Illinois College won the first game 18-13.

The Blueboys plated two runs in the top of the first inning in game two, but the Prairie Fire responded with a run of their own in the bottom half. Knox held a 4-3 lead through five innings, but Illinois College took a 9-5 lead in the seventh inning. The Prairie Fire scored a pair in the seventh, but the Blueboys scored three more in the ninth to win 12-7.

Chase Thies, Ben Bucher, and Chris McTeague each tallied four hits for the Prairie Fire in the doubleheader. Cole Shepherd and Ben Rogina each added three hits. Charlie Gibbons hit a three-run pinch hit home-run in the first game in the attempted rally. Bucher and Matt Shover also homered in the doubleheader.

"Other than the first inning of game one we played very well today," said associate head coach James Clark. "We still need to tighten up a bit on defense, but we are really starting to put together some good innings."

Knox will host Grinnell on April 24 before heading to Grinnell on April 25.