|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
For Immediate Releaseeureka, illinois
April 4, 2009
Pitching, defense sharp for EC in taking 1 of 3 at Principia
Eureka College continued its rugged road stretch to begin the season with a three-game series at St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe Principia College over the weekend. The unheralded Panthers protected their home field by sneaking out two wins over EC despite being outscored in the series 15-11. Principia won a nine-inning game Friday 3-1 and game two of a seven-inning doubleheader Saturday 4-3. The Red Devils posted an 11-4 victory in game one of the twill bill.
Through a string a cancellations and postponements, the Red Devils (5-9-1, 5-4 SLIAC) have opened the season with 11 over their first 15 contests away from home, including seven of their first nine league games. The weather then did Eureka no favors on Monday, as the home doubleheader versus Maryville University was snowed out for a second time. The Red Devils will now need to navigate through one more non-conference road tilt before beginning a huge 10-game homestand to be held in Eureka from April 10-20. The rescheduled games against Maryville will make up the final two contests on April 20.
The Red Devils consistently outperformed their counterparts from Principia (10-8, 3-3 SLIAC) in the field. Eureka was charged with four errors compared to 14 miscues for the Panthers. But Principia made up for their lapses by out-hitting EC in each game for a combined 30-18 in the series.
Clay McConkey (Fairview, Ill./Spoon River Valley) suffered his first loss on the year in the first game, though the defeat came about more due to the 12 runners Eureka left on base than any lack of fine form on the mound. McConkey allowed a two-run homer to Alan Cheatham, the third batter he faced in the game, then went on to pitch six other solid innings. Principia only managed one unearned tally against the EC ace the rest of the way, but it turned out to be enough. McConkey went seven innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
The Red Devils collected six hits, four walks, four stolen bases, and also benefitted from four Principia errors, but wound up with just one run to show for it. Eureka had a runner in scoring position in seven of the nine times at bat only to go 0-for-8 at the plate in RBI chances.
Eureka climbed to within 2-1 in the sixth without registering a hit when Kyle Koerner (LeRoy, Ill./HS) reached base on a hit by pitch and scored after two Principia errors. Koerner scored from second when Principia's second baseman threw wildly to first on a failed double play attempt.
The Red Devils threatened in the seventh with back-to-back singles by Tim Cashdollar (Morton, Ill./HS) and Keith Moore (Hamilton, Ill./HS), who returned to the EC lineup for the first time since March 22. But with one out, Benji Cashdollar (Morton, Ill./HS) smoked a line drive to first that was turned into an unassisted double play.
Eureka also left runners on second and third in the eighth, then filled the bases trailing 3-1 in the ninth before being denied once more.
The Red Devils were not such polite guests in the opener of the doubleheader Saturday. They took out their frustrations, tying their season-high for runs in an 11-4 victory. Eureka broke open a close game with a six-run outburst in the fifth. Four Red Devils knocked in multiple runs in the contest.
Eureka fell behind 1-0 after the opening frame, but took the lead in the third on run-scoring singles by Tim Cashdollar and Keith Moore. The same two hitters came up trump in the next inning with RBI base hits again to punctuate a three-run rally that lifted EC to a 5-2 advantage.
Principia made it 5-4 before Eureka could but the Panthers away with a six-run fifth. The big blast was authored by Nick Knoblauch (Metamora, Ill./HS), who accounted for the first two runs with his third home run of the season. Tyler Glaub (Metamora, Ill./HS) later cashed in two more with a bases-loaded double, which preceded a sacrifice fly by Moore and a bases-loaded walk to Nick Eeten (Eureka, Ill./HS). The Red Devils finished a potent 6-for-10 with runners in scoring position in the contest.
Benji Cashdollar picked up the win on the mound in his second straight start, recording a season-high eight strikeouts in seven innings. He walked just two and allowed 11 hits and four runs (three earned). Moore picked up three runs batted in to lead the EC attack. Tim Cashdollar went a perfect 2-for-2 with a pair of runs and RBIs. Glaub also tallied two runs batted in and runs scored. Koerner and Justin Fravell (East Peoria, Ill./HS) scored two runs apiece as well.
In the nightcap, Principia out-hit Eureka 12-4, but needed a late-inning comeback to steal the game and the series. The Red Devils did well to take advantage of the Panthers' struggles defensively as only one EC batter went down on strikes in the contest.
Fravell, who carded Eureka's first run in the opening stanza, hit an RBI single in the third to tie the score at 2-2. Koerner edged EC ahead in the fourth after he led off with a single and later scored on an over-throw as Principia tried to get the second out on a double play attempt.
The Panthers knotted the game at 3-3 on a two-out RBI single in the sixth. After Eureka was kept off the board in the top of the frame, Principia rallied for the winning run on the bottom of the seventh on a single, walk, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly.
Blake McConkey (Fairview, Ill./Spoon River Valley) received a no decision as the starting pitcher for Eureka. He allowed three runs in 5.2 innings with one walk and three strikeouts. It was yet another strong start to add to a stretch where EC has allowed four runs or less in seven of the last eight games.
The Red Devils are next slated to take on Knox College for a night game Thursday, April 9 at 7:00 pm. The non-conference match up will be held at Galesburg High School.
###
For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
|
|---|
|
|---|
