Box Score Monmouth rewarded Tyler McDonald with a three-run ninth to give the junior righty a 4-1 win over Knox in the Midwest Conference opener Thursday afternoon.

McDonald fanned 11 in 8-1/3 innings as the Scots plated three runs with two outs in the ninth. Leading 1-0 in the top of the ninth, Harry Sanchez sparked the rally with a two-out basehit. Cameron Kellar followed with a single, moving Sanchez to third. Sanchez scampered home on a error off the batted ball of Tyler Ulfig to give the Scots an insurance run. Kellar came home to add to the lead on a wild pitch just before Christian Lett tripled to plate Ulfig. The Prairie Fire opened their half of the frame with back-to-back hits, bringing the tying run to the plate with no one out. McDonald then faned one and induced a run-scoring ground out to cut the lead to 4-1. A walk ensued as McDonald turned the ball over to Jake Starkey for the final out, recording his season-tying record fifth save.

Game 2 of the twinbill was halted by darkness in the ninth with Monmouth nursing a 10-9 lead. The game will be resumed Saturday at Monmouth prior to the scheduled noon doubleheader at Glasgow Field.