CLERMONT, Fla. — The Knox College softball team was unable to snap its skid to open the 2025 season on Sunday as Union College (N.Y.) defeated the Prairie Fire, 7-0, after which Manchester University also won by a shutout, 10-0, in five innings. Knox fell to 0-18 on the season while Union (1-3) won its first game and Manchester evened its record at 4-4.

The Prairie Fire could not get much offense going against the Garnet Chargers with just four base runners — three hits and a walk. Union, meanwhile, got an unearned run in the second before Elizabeth Werner belted a solo shot to left-center in the fourth, her first of the year.

Knox was still within striking distance after six innings, trailing 4-0, but the Garnet Chargers tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh, the last two on a Tatum Perkins single.

Clara Cleaves (1-1) tossed the three-hit shutout for Union, walking just one and striking out seven. Fifth-year Londyn Nelson (0-7) suffered the loss, giving up seven runs, five earned, on 10 hits and two walks in the complete-game effort.

Manchester's Julianne Gosnell (1-0) twirled a four-hit, five-inning shutout in the Prairie Fire's second game of the day, walking two and fanning two in her first outing of the season.

The Spartans wasted little time in taking the lead as leadoff hitter Kendal Rider reached on an error, stole second and third, the latter forcing a throw into left field, allowing her to sprint home with the game's first run. Four more runs crossed the plate before Knox could record the third out as Manchester jumped out to a 5-0 lead.

Prairie Fire sophomore right-hander Charlie Davison (0-9) kept the Spartans off the board in the second and third stanzas before the flood gates opened in a six-run fourth that featured six hits.

In three of the five innings, Knox managed to put a runner on second base with two outs, but in each instance, those runners would go no further. First-year Lauren O'Neill was perfect at the plate with two walks and a single, and her classmate, Mia Gladden, stroked a double for her first collegiate hit.

Knox returns to Galesburg for its home opener with a doubleheader against Mount Mary University (3-10) on March 30 in a rematch of both teams' season opener that the Blue Angels won, 11-7. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. at Knox Softball Field with a live video stream and stats available online at PrairieFire.Knox.edu, the official website of Knox Athletics.