Jacksonville, IL – The Prairie Fire won both games of a doubleheader against Illinois College and clinched the Midwest Conference South Division title.
Knox defeated the Blueboys 4-2 and 6-5 in 11 innings to complete the sweep at Lenz Field on Thursday. The Prairie Fire claimed their first South Division crown and a #1 seed in the Midwest Conference Tournament since 2008. That was also the last year the Prairie Fire won the conference championship.
Knox received a standout pitching performance from junior starter Peter Marquardt (Clarendon Hills, lL, Hinsdale Central) and two timely hits in the eighth inning to take the first game.
Marquardt (5-0) tossed 7 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, seven hits, two walks, and struck out six to earn the victory.
A sacrifice fly by senior Caleb Weaver (Galesburg, IL, Galesburg) that scored junior Phil Tallman (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) gave the Prairie Fire a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
Illinois College tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on a ground out that scored a run.
Knox reclaimed the lead at 2-1 in the fifth inning when junior Erik Smoy (Hoffman Estates, IL, Hoffman Estates) singled home Tallman, who reached base three times with a pair of hits and a walk.
The Prairie Fire (19-9, 11-3 MWC South) extended the advantage to 4-1 with two runs in the eighth inning. Senior Kyle Walenga (San Francisco, CA, Waldorf) drove in the first run with a single and senior Michael Schroeder (Glenview, IL, Glenbrook South) doubled to score Walenga.
IC (13-17, 7-7 MWC South) cut the Knox lead in half at 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth on a two out single with the bases loaded. Senior reliever Gabe Ayers (Hanna City, IL, Farmington) got the next batter to hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Ayers picked up his second save of the season after he pitched 1 2/3 innings and gave up three hits while striking out one.
Junior Paul Mills (Moline, IL, Moline) joined Tallman with two hits in the game for Knox.
Both Knox and IC had 10 hits apiece.
The Prairie Fire held a 3-0 lead in the nightcap until the Blueboys plated two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Knox led 1-0 in the top of the second on an RBI groundout by Walenga. A single by senior Ryan Hoffman (Sugar Grove, IL, Marmion Academy) in the fourth, followed by a run-scoring single by senior Matt Lee (Fullerton, CA, Servite), increased the Knox advantage to 3-0.
Prairie Fire starting pitcher, senior Ryan Stoens (Bartonville, IL, Limestone), was solid through seven innings. Stoens surrendered two runs on four hits, walked one and struck out five in a no decision.
IC whittled the Knox lead to 3-2 on a double by Matthew Pardo with one out. First-year hurler Mitch Weissenhofer (Homewood, IL, Marian Catholic), who relieved Stoens on the mound, retired the next two batters to limit the damage.
The Blueboys tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth on a solo homer by T.J. Albers, sending the game into extra innings.
After a scoreless 10th frame, Knox scored three runs in the top of the 11th for a 6-3 lead.
Smoy drew a walk with one out and moved to second on a single by Hoffman. Junior Michael O'Connell (Park Ridge, IL, Maine South) came off the bench to pinch hit and delivered an RBI double for the first run of the inning. IC recorded the second out before Mills smacked a two-run single that turned out to be the game-winning hit.
Illinois College didn't go quietly. Albers continued his hot hitting with a lead-off triple. Ayers, who took the mound with two outs in the ninth inning, induced a ground ball to third base for the first out. A double scored Albers to trim the Prairie Fire lead to 6-4. Ayers got the next hitter to bounce out before an infield error allowed another IC runner to score. A fly ball to right field ended the game and secured both the victory and the MWC South Division for the Prairie Fire.
Ayers (2-1) worked 2 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run and two hits, to earn the victory.
Knox, which has won seven of its last eight games, outhit the Blueboys 11-10. Hoffman led the way with three hits and two runs scored. Weaver added a pair of hits for the Prairie Fire.
Knox returns to the Midwest Conference Tournament in back-to-back years since the 2002 and 2003 seasons. The Prairie Fire's 19 victories are the most since the 1997 squad won 20 games.
Ripon College is the host of the MWC Tournament, which is May 10 and 11. The Red Hawks (20-12, 14-2 MWC North) won the North Division and clinched its #1 seed. St. Norbert College (22-10, 10-3 MWC North), last year's conference champion, is the #2 seed out of the North.
The #2 seed from the South Division is still undetermined.