RIPON, Wisconsin - The Prairie Fire baseball team dropped a pair of close game to Ripon on Saturday in conference play.

The Red Hawks plated a run in the top of the second inning in game one to take an early advantage. Knox tied the game in the fifth, but Ripon responded with a run of their own in the bottom half and held on for a 2-1 victory.

Starting pitcher Nick Henning allowed five hits and two runs over eight innings to end up the tough luck loser.

Ripon scored twice in the bottom of the first in game two to take another early lead, but the Prairie Fire scored four runs in the fourth inning to take the lead. The Red Hawks tallied a run in the bottom of the fourth and then two in the seventh to take a 5-4 lead. Knox tied the game in the top of the eighth, but immediately surrendered two runs in the bottom half and Ripon held on for the 7-5 win.

Andrew Garrett and Evan Laws each had three hits on the day to lead the Prairie Fire. Garrett, Laws, Jason Clark, Brandon Ballance, and Jeff Ripka each notched a double on the day.

"We were in both games the whole way, but just couldn't quite get the hit or make the pitch when the game was on the line," said associate head coach James Clark. "We fought hard, but came up just short in both games. We will get back to it tomorrow."

Knox returns to action on April 23 as they remain in Ripon for the final game of the three game set.