GALESBURG, Ill. – Alyssa Pearson tossed a five-inning Game 1 shutout and Mady Rainey delivered the winning hit in the eighth inning of Game 2 in Cornell's 9-0, 3-2 Midwest Conference softball sweep of Knox Sunday afternoon.
 
The Rams (8-21 overall, 6-6 MWC) remained in contention for a berth in the four-team MWC Tournament, standing fifth in the league race with four games to go. Cornell has a chance to gain ground next weekend with doubleheaders left against Grinnell (9-3 MWC) and Monmouth (7-4 MWC).
 
Pearson (5-10) was on cruise control in the opener, facing only two batters over the minimum for a complete-game two-hitter. Knox's lone two hits – both singles – came in the third inning. Pearson struck out two and walked one.
 
The Rams got two hits apiece from Marissa Faletti, Olivia Richards, Addie Bowman and Erin Puck. Faletti, Sydni Coleman and Puck all finished with two RBIs for the Rams, who accounted for all nine runs in their final three at-bats.
 
Cornell completed the sweep with a Game 2 two-out rally in the top of the eighth. Keith and Richards had back-to-back singles to set the stage for Rainey, who came through with a hit to score pinch runner Mary Puffett for what proved to be the winning run.
 
Freshman pitcher Skylar McCartney-Puzio (3-3) finished off the Prairie Fire (3-26 overall, 1-13 MWC) in the bottom of the eighth for the complete-game victory. Center fielder Faletti threw out a runner at third base for the second out. McCartney-Puzio struck out the final batter with two runners on.
 
Richards continued her recent hitting tear, going 4-for-4 with a run. Julissa Rivera, Zoie Harvey and Rainey had one RBI apiece. The Rams outhit the home team, 10-8.
 
The Rams travel to play rival Coe (19-11) for a 2 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday in Cedar Rapids. Game 1 will count toward the 2021-22 Bremner Cup Series, which Cornell leads 7-6.