GALESBURG, Illinois - The Knox College softball team dropped two games of a doubleheader this afternoon to Illinois College 1-7 and 4-5.

In game one, the Prairie Fire and Lady Blues ended scoreless to end the first inning. Illinois College got on the board first scoring five runs in the bottom of the second inning. Both teams went back and forth for the next two innings, displaying their great fielding and defense as neither team could score a run in the third and fourth innings. The Lady Blues batted in another two runs in the bottoms of the fifth inning, increasing their lead to 7-0 heading into the sixth inning. The Prairie Fire got their first run of the game in the seventh inning as Maddie Poetzinger crossed home plate on a fielder's choice but ultimately ran out of time for a late-game comeback. 

In game two, Illinois College scored first in the bottom of the first inning taking a 1-0 advantage. Knox responded in great fashion with two tremendous runs in the fourth inning off a Lady Blue error and a single from Londyn Nelson. Knox took this momentum into the fifth inning as Maddie Hicks batted in the Prairie Fire's third run of the game with a single. With bases loaded, Alycea Burnett took ball four, walking in another run for the Prairie Fire. Illinois College added a pair of late runs to take the game to extra innings. After an eighth inning with neither team scoring, the Lady Blue walked off in the bottom of the ninth inning to spoil a Knox comeback.

Hicks's standout performance this afternoon led the way for the Prairie Fire with four hits through both games.

"A very good day for us all around today," said coach Casey Hipp. "IC is a tough team and it was exciting to play into extra innings with them. All in all, I'm very proud of the showing from Knox softball today," added Hipp.

The Prairie Fire will look to build upon their strong performance today when they face off against conference rivals Monmouth College this Saturday in their last home game of the season. Games are scheduled for 1 pm and 3 pm start times on the Knox College Softball Field.