GALESBURG, Ill. — It took a few days to get the first two games of the baseball season in, originally scheduled to be played on Saturday. The wait was well worth it for the Knox College Prairie Fire as they stomped Fontbonne in a pair of seven-inning games on Tuesday afternoon at Shaw Park, 14-0 and 9-1.
Three pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout for Knox (2-0) in the opener, with junior Jeffrey Ripka (1-0) earning the win with five scoreless stanzas. The right-hander surrendered four hits without a walk while fanning four. Junior Ethan Rompala-Matthews and sophomore Will Vines both issued a couple walks but struck out five between them to finish the shutout.
The Prairie Fire put eight runs on the board in the top of the first to announce their presence. Junior Andrew Garrett, who finished the game 3-for-3 with three runs and four RBIs, provided the big blow with a two-run triple. Garrett added an RBI double in both a three-run second and three-run third.
Sophomore Tyler Kemp also had a perfect performance at the plate in the first game, going 2-for-2 with a run and two RBIs as Knox banged out 10 hits and drew eight walks.
In the nightcap, Fontbonne dented the scoreboard first with an unearned run to take a 1-0 lead after one. The Prairie Fire quickly responded with three runs in the top of the second on a two-run double off the bat of junior Thomas Wilmot and a bases-loaded walk to senior Holden Jones.
The score remained 3-1 until the sixth when Knox exploded for four runs, the last three unearned. In the seventh, sophomore Aidan McMurtrie delivered an RBI single for the second straight inning and Garrett had another RBI double to finish the scoring.
First-year Jacob Halseth (1-0) earned the victory for yielding just one unearned run on four hits over four frames of work, walking one and striking out two. Junior Brady Bertrand tossed a scoreless fifth and senior Brandon Ward put goose eggs on the board in the sixth and seventh to close out the win.
McMurtrie had two hits, two runs, two RBIs and three stolen bases, and Wilmot doubled twice and drove in two to lead the Knox offense. Garrett finished the twinbill 4-for-8 with three doubles, a triple and five RBIs.
The Prairie Fire will have a week before they suit up again for a doubleheader at Eureka on Tuesday, March 4. First pitch for the first game at Henry Sand Field is set for noon.
