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For Immediate Releaseeureka, illinois
March 17, 2009
Eeten, Knoblauch power 20-Run EC attack in DH split at MacMurray
Eureka College got a home run and four hits from Nick Eeten (Eureka, Ill./HS) and two other Red Devils recorded three hits as they found the win column for the first time this season at MacMurray College Tuesday. Eureka out-hit MacMurray 14-7 to take game one 9-6, but handed away a six-run lead to drop a wild 12-11 decision in the doubleheader finale.
The Red Devils (1-4-1, 1-1 SLIAC) grabbed a quick 2-0 lead thanks to run-scoring singles by Eeten and Nick Knoblauch (Metamora, Ill./HS) in the opening frame. The Highlanders (1-8, 1-1 SLIAC) fought back to tie the game going into the third inning, but stranded four men on base in the process.
Eeten commenced a four-run Eureka rally in the third with a bang, crushing his first home run in an EC uniform to lead off the stanza. Kyle Koerner (LeRoy, Ill./HS) knocked in a run with the first if his two doubles in the game later in the inning, then Keith Moore (Hamilton, Ill./HS) came through with a big two-run single with the bases filled and two away.
Eeten got to lead off again in the fourth. Although his was kept in the park this time, being held to a single, he was still able to tally his third run of the contest when Knoblauch chased him in with an RBI double.
Tim Cashdollar (Morton, Ill./HS), who match Knoblauch by going 3-for-4 with the bat, supplied the final two runs for Eureka after base hits in the fifth and seventh innings. Eeten finished with four hits in five at bats, totaling three runs batted in as well.
The nine run, 14 hit attack was more than enough for Eureka pitcher Clay McConkey (Fairview, Ill./Spoon River Valley) to earn the complete game victory. He mowed down 11 MacMurray batter on strikes, with all of them coming over the final five frames. The junior righthander allowed seven hits and two walks in seven innings.
The Red Devils' bats stayed hot in game two, amassing season highs of 17 hits and 11 runs. Knoblauch smashed a pair of solo homers in the first three innings as Eureka built a commanding 5-2 lead. The round-trippers continued in the fourth as Moore recorded his first career home run after Tim Cashdollar had been hit by a pitch to increase the EC margin to five. Eeten picked up a single and stolen base later in the frame, and crossed the plate for the fourth time on the day on a Mike Wagner (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) RBI single.
MacMurray pulled within 8-3 on a solo blast in the bottom of the fourth, but the real thunder came in the fifth when the Highlanders rallied for five runs to knot the game at 8-8. MacMurray had five consecutive singles with two outs to prolong the attack.
Eureka eventually fell behind 11-9 before forcing a bottom of the seventh with a clutch two-run rally. Down to their final two outs, the Red Devils put together three consecutive singles led off by Koerner, who scored twice and went a perfect 4-for-4. Koerner was 6-for-8 on the day, and the four hits in game two were a career-high. He and Shawn Songer (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone) moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and went home on a two-run single by Justin Fravell (East Peoria, Ill./HS). The two runs batted in were not only timely, but also the first of Fravell's EC career.
The Highlanders won the game in the bottom of the seventh in walk-off fashion following a lead off single, sacrifice bunt and game-winning double hit by Mickie Sellers. It was the third double and fourth hit of the game for Sellers.
Six Red Devils recorded multiple hits in the nightcap, including Moore with three. Eeten, Knoblauch, Songer and Fravell each had two. Benji Cashdollar (Morton, Ill./HS) started the game on the mound for Eureka, striking out five through five innings. He received a no decision after the Red Devils tied the game in the seventh.
The Red Devils are now set for their home opener, set for Friday, March 20 at 2:00 pm versus Spalding University in non-conference doubleheader action. Eureka was dominant at home last season, posting an impressive 10-2 mark at Henry Sand Field, including a perfect 4-0 record against conference playoff teams.
There has been a change to the Eureka baseball schedule for this weekend. The home and away dates for Saturday and Sunday versus Blackburn College have been switched. Eureka will travel to Blackburn Saturday, March 21 for a doubleheader starting at 1:00 pm. Blackburn will then play at Eureka in a single nine inning affair Sunday at 2:00 pm.
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
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