For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

April 15, 2008

EC matches win total from last 2 years, completes sweep of MU

Boxscore

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Eureka College baseball team commenced a pivotal stretch of eight games in six days with a 6-2 comeback road victory over Maryville University in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.  The Red Devils completed a three-game regular season series sweep of the Saints with the win.  Eureka also matched its win total from the previous two years combined with still at least 12 games left to play for the season.

Sophomore righthander Clay McConkey (Fairview, Ill./Spoon River Valley), who came within one out of a
no-hitter on March 29 in a 1-0 triumph over Maryville (10-13, 6-5 SLIAC), delivered another superb effort after receiving the starting nod again.  He pitched into the eighth inning, giving up just two first inning runs and five hits.  He walked six and struck out five over 7.1 frames before giving way to Benji Cashdollar (Morton, Ill./HS).  Cashdollar recorded the final five outs, allowing no runs and one hit to earn the save.

The story of the game was missed opportunities.  Maryville was 3-for-17 with runners on base, including an 0-for-5 mark with the bases loaded.  Eureka (8-15, 8-7 SLIAC) was not much better, but strung together five hits during a four-run outburst in the fourth inning that gave the Red Devils all the offense they would need.

The game had a shaky beginning for Eureka as the first two Maryville hitters singled.  But the Saints would not find the hit column again until the sixth inning, and McConkey allowed just those first two hitters to score in the opening stanza.  During one stretch, he retired 15 out of 18 batters faced.

The Red Devils took a lasting lead with four tallies on five hits in the fourth.  Alex Rosenbeck (Bridgeview, Ill./Argo) began the rally with a one out single.  He stole second and came home on an RBI base hit by
Nick Knoblauch (Metamora, Ill./HS).  Kyle Koerner (LeRoy, Ill./HS) and Tyler Glaub (Metamora, Ill./HS) soon made it four consecutive singles as EC loaded the bases.  Wade Furrow (El Paso, Ill./HS) advanced all three runners with a sacrifice fly before Keith Moore (Hamilton, Ill./HS) provided the go-ahead hit with a
two-run double with two outs.

Eureka held a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth when Maryville threatened with the bases loaded and one out.  Cashdollar was summoned to the mound, however, and induced a pop out and ground out to keep the Saints at bay.

The Red Devils added two runs in the ninth on a two-run pinch hit single off the bat of Brent Miller
(Arcola, Ill./HS).  Moore, who recorded his third hit of the game to lead off the frame, scored the first run, and was followed across the plate by Mike Wagner (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita).

EC out-hit Maryville 11-6, and played its sixth error-free game of the season.  Maryville stranded 12 runners on base.  Eureka left nine. The Red Devils are currently in a virtual three-way tie for third place in the SLIAC standings.

Eureka next has a non-conference doubleheader scheduled for Tuesday, April 15 at Lincoln Christian College starting at 1:00 pm.

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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