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For Immediate Releaseeureka, illinois
April 16, 2009
McConkey baffles Saints again; eC loses upset chance late 2-1
On the heels of a pair of losses to a second division ball club in Greenville a day earlier, the Red Devils badly needed a strong start from pitcher Clay McConkey (Fairview, Ill./Spoon river Valley) in their road match up with conference rival Maryville University Thursday. That is exactly what they got as McConkey hurled a complete game, striking out 10 and giving up just one earned run on seven hits. Unfortunately for Eureka College, its offense could not support the junior righthander in a tough 2-1 set back.
There were many storylines going into the game. Both clubs got off to good starts to the conference season, but came in struggling. Eureka (6-14-1, 6-8 SLIAC) had lost six of its previous eight games, while Maryville (14-12, 10-4 SLIAC) had dropped three of four. The Saints were one of the teams that barely beat out EC for a coveted SLIAC playoff stop last season, finishing just 1.5 games ahead of the Red Devils in the final standings despite losing all three games played against Eureka during the season. McConkey started and earned the win in two of those three wins Eureka had over Maryville in 2008, including a game pitched on March 29 in which McConkey came within one out of tossing a no-hitter.
The Saints collected seven hits against McConkey this go-round, but had next to no success once they finally did get runners on base. Maryville went just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, but that one hit could not have come at a worse time for the Red Devils. With the game tied at 1-1 and runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Maryville's Mitch Seward legged out an infield hit to knock in the go-ahead run for the Saints.
McConkey avoided further damage in the frame to keep it at a one-run deficit for Eureka. Shawn Songer (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone), who already had two hits in the game, led off the ninth with a walk, but he was gunned down trying to steal second, and the next two hitters were retired to end the game in Maryville's favor.
Four of Eureka's five hits in the game came in the first four stanzas. After being stranded on third in the first inning after a single, Songer manufactured the game's first tally in the fourth with a single, stolen base, sacrifice bunt and balk.
The Red Devils held their 1-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth when Maryville starting pitcher Chris Stenzel crossed the plate after a two-out throwing error. It would be Stenzel who scored the winning run for Maryville as well, but his best work was on the mound where he tossed nine innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
McConkey reached double figures in strikeouts for the sixth time in his career and third time this season. He fanned two batters each in the second, fourth and fifth innings.
Songer and Tyler Glaub (Metamora, Ill./HS) both reached base safely three times for Eureka. Songer was 2-for-3 with a walk, while Glaub was 2-for-2 with a walk. Tim Cashdollar (Morton, Ill./HS) had the other base hit for the Red Devils, going 1-for-3. Ten of Eureka's 14 SLIAC contests have been decided by two runs or less or in extra innings. Eureka is 3-7 in those 10 games.
Eureka is set to open a quick five-game, three-day homestand Saturday, April 18 with a doubleheader against SLIAC foe Westminster College starting at Noon. The Red Devils and Blue Jays will square off Sunday in Eureka at 1:00 pm, then EC will get two more shots at Maryville in a doubleheader set for 2:00 pm April 20.
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
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