|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
For Immediate ReleaseBaseball -- April 9, 2012
Red Devils Drop Two at Illinois College
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Illinois College avenged an early-season loss to the Eureka College baseball team Monday afternoon, taking both games of a non-conference doubleheader from the Red Devils in Jacksonville, Ill. The Blueboys claimed the opener, 14-7, and later won the nightcap, 7-5.
The hosts put game one away early, scoring eight times during the second inning to grab an 8-0 advantage. IC sent 12 batters to the plate during the frame, banging out seven hits and taking advantage of a pair of Eureka errors. First baseman Adam Hamerlinck cleared the bases with a three-run double midway through the inning, followed by a two-run homer from David Dalfonso.
The Blueboys (15-8) scored twice in the third and fourth innings for a 12-0 advantage before the Red Devils got on the board in the fifth on the first career home run from junior designated Kevin Dooley (Normal, Ill./Normal Community H.S./Spoon River).
The Illinois College lead was 14-1 before the Eureka lineup came to life in the sixth. Three walks from IC reliever Kyle Bretsch loaded the bases for Dooley, who ripped a two-run single to score seniors Michael Hammerstrand (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington H.S.) and Blake McConkey (Fairview, Ill./Spoon River Valley H.S.). Freshman reserve Nick Passarella (Hainesville, Ill./Grayslake H.S.) followed with a two-run double, trimming the EC deficit to 14-5.
McConkey tacked on an RBI double as part of a two-run seventh for the Red Devils, but the offense wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit. Dooley was the only Red Devil to finish the opener with multiple hits behind a 2-for-3 showing. He drove in three runs overall. Freshman starter Tyler Ledbetter (Washburn, Ill./Lowpoint-Washburn H.S.) suffered the loss after firing 3.0 innings.
Eureka (4-20) jumped in front in the opener thanks to a two-run first inning. McConkey and Dooley hit safely in front of Hammerstrand, who unloaded a two-run triple for the 2-0 advantage. IC needed little time to respond, tying the game in the second inning on an RBI fielder’s choice from Dalfonso.
T.J. Albers and Matt Jagodzinski drove in runs in the third to help the hosts take their first lead of the nightcap, 5-2. The Red Devils answered with three runs of their own in their next at-bat on an RBI groundout from McConkey and a two-run double from Dooley, forcing a 5-5 deadlock.
Illinois College scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom half of the fourth. Dalfonso singled to start the frame, stole second and ultimately moved to third on a groundout. Brian Boeving singled home Dalfonso one batter later in what proved to be the winning run.
The Red Devils put the tying runs into scoring position in the seventh inning, but IC reliever Matt Pardo recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the game and earn his second save of the campaign.
Dooley and Hammerstrand compiled two hits and two RBI apiece in game two. The loss extended Eureka’s skid to seven games.
The Red Devils will resume St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action Wednesday at Henry Sand Field in a 2 p.m. doubleheader versus Blackburn.
###
For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
|
|---|
|
|---|
