For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

March 24, 2008

Cashdollar pitches EC to win in series capper vs. Westminster

Boxscores:

March 21

March 22: Game 1 | Game 2

FULTON, Mo. -- The Eureka College baseball team registered its first win of the season Saturday, taking the final game of a three-game series at Westminster College by the count of 2-1.  The Red Devils fell in heart-breaking fashion to the Blue Jays in the opening game of the set on Friday 6-3 as Westminster tallied six runs in the ninth inning.  Westminster also took the first game of Saturday's twin bill 10-0.

In Friday's nine-inning St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener, the Red Devils (1-8, 1-2 SLIAC) led for almost the whole game.  Batting second due to league rules, Eureka made Westminster (7-4, 2-1 SLIAC) pay in the bottom of the second for a lead off walk to Alex Rosenbeck (Bridgeview, Ill./Argo) when Tyler Glaub (Metamora, Ill./HS) hit a run scoring double to center with two outs.  That hit was followed by an RBI single off the bat of Wade Furrow (El Paso, Ill./HS), and EC led 2-0.

Eureka starting pitcher Kyle Buchanan (Fairbury, Ill./Prairie Central) allowed his first hit in the third inning, but kept the Blue Jays at bay through the first five frames.  Buchanan tossed five shut out innings in all, surrendering five hits and four walks while fanning three.  He left in the top of the sixth after Westminster had loaded the bases with no outs, but his teammates got him out of the jam.  Kyle Koerner (LeRoy, Ill./HS) came on in relief to get his first batter on a pop out and the next to fly into a double play ending the threat.

EC increased its lead to 3-0 in the seventh when Mike Wagner (Chicago, Ill./St Rita) drove in Benji Cashdollar (Morton, Ill./HS), who had singled, with a double to left.  The Red Devils stranded the bases loaded in the inning and went on to leave 12 men on base for the game.

Those missed opportunities would come back to haunt Eureka in the ninth as Westminster mounted a six-run outburst on seven base hits.  The score was tied at 3-3 on a sacrifice fly, and the Blue Jays took the lead on a two-out RBI single up the middle.

Eureka had two hits in the bottom of the ninth to get the tying run to the plate, but could not cut into the 6-3 deficit.  Cashdollar went 3-for-5 on the day, while Rosenbeck and Keith Moore (Hamilton, Ill./HS) also both reached base safely three times with two hits and a walk.

In game two of the series, Westminster blew open a 2-0 game with an eight-run rally in the sixth inning of a 10-0 decision.  Eureka's Clay McConkey (Fairview, Ill./Spoon River Valley) kept EC close for most of the game.  He gave up two unearned runs on no hits in the second, and shut the Blue Jays down over the next three frames.  McConkey gave up five earned runs on five hits and five strikeouts over five and two-thirds innings.

The sixth inning spelled doom for EC as Westminster recorded eight two-out runs on four hits and seven walks. Meanwhile, the Red Devils could not take advantage of the six free passes they were granted.  Westminster turned three double plays, limited Eureka to three hits, and stranded seven EC runners.

In the nightcap, Eureka picked up its first win behind an outstanding pitching performance by Benji Cashdollar.  He allowed one run on four hits over six innings while striking out six.  Cashdollar pitched into the seventh, but was lifted in favor of Moore after the tying run in a 2-1 game reached first on a lead off single.  Moore then retired all three batters he faced to nail down the save.

Moore, who began the game playing center field, wasted little time putting EC in front, driving in Andy Hudec (Streamwood, Ill./HS) in the top of the first with a run scoring single.

Eureka cashed in on a lead off walk to double its lead to 2-0 in the second stanza.  Troy Burd (Peoria, Ill./Woodruff) delivered the clutch two-out hit to bring in Nick Knoblauch (Metamora, Ill./HS) for the eventual game-winning run.

Westminster got its only run in the fifth on two hits and a walk. The Blue Jays left six on base, including two in scoring position in the sixth, compared to just three left of base by the Red Devils.  Neither team committed an error.

Moore led EC offensively with a total of four hits in the series.  Eureka's three starting pitchers combined for a 3.24 ERA.

The Red Devils are next scheduled for a non-conference doubleheader at Illinois College beginning at
1:00 pm Monday, March 24 in Jacksonville.

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For More Information Contact:

Brian Sullivan
Sports Information Director
Eureka College
300 E. College Avenue
Eureka, Illinois 61530
309-467-6456
bsullivan@eureka.edu