Knox Baseball Team Captures Division Title

Caleb Weaver, above celebrating a score in an earlier game this season, had three hits in two games as Knox won its conference division title on May 2. Full details of the doubleheader victories are at prairiefire.knox.edu

Winning the Midwest Conference South Division baseball title is the culmination of work that began some two years ago, said head coach Jami Isaacson '92, after the Prairie Fire took both games of a doubleheader against Illinois College on Thursday, May 2.

"The juniors and seniors have put a lot of work into this," Isaacson said. "The senior class has shown the kind of leadership that you expect from Knox students."

Playing at Illinois College, Knox won both games 4-2 and 6-5. With a record of 19-9, 10-2 in away games, as of May 3, Knox captured the South Division crown and top seed in the Midwest Conference Tournament that begins May 10. Full game details are at prairiefire.knox.edu.

"Several players have had a great year, but every player has to be mentally tough, pitch by pitch, mentally ready to react to what the game brings to you," Isaacson said. "That's where this team has grown."

Seven Knox baseball players, one-quarter of the 27-member roster in 2012, were named Academic All Conference, in results that are announced in June. "We recruit for a good fit with Knox, academically and athletically. That includes the ability to perform right now, and prospects for development. We offer students the opportunity to perform at a higher level, to develop into who they're going to be, four years from now," said Isaacson, who as a student majored in history at Knox and was an All Conference catcher and Player of the Year.

Weather permitting, Knox is scheduled to face Illinois College again, this time on Blodgett Field in Galesburg on Saturday, May 4; followed by an away doubleheader at Millikin University on May 7.