For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

March 6, 2008

Kalnicky blasts 2 HR; EC concludes spring trip

CONWAY, AR. -- The Red Devils got plenty of practice in close games on their annual spring break trip as the final three games were all decided in the final at bat.  Unfortunately for Eureka, EC came out on the short end of all three, including decisions of 3-2 and 6-4 Wednesday versus Central Baptist College.

The day was not without highlights for Eureka (1-3), however. Cathy Kalnicky (Bolingbrook, Ill./Plainfield) cranked a pair of home runs, and starters Abby Segal (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) and Jill Doty (Metamora, Ill./HS) each had superb pitching efforts.

Segal did not allow a hit through the first three and two-thirds innings of the opening game, though Central Baptist (9-5) still forged a 2-1 lead after four.  The Mustangs took advantage of having the lead off hitter on base in the first on a walk and in the fourth on a dropped third strike.

Kalnicky hit a home run in the top of the fourth that tied the game at one. Then in the top of the sixth, EC again tied the score when Doty's two-out single brought in Emily Forbes (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) from second.

Neither side could mount a threat again until the bottom of the seventh.  The frame began innocently with Segal retiring the first two hitters, but a walk and stolen base put the winning run in scoring position for Chelsey Hust, who hit a walk-off double into left.

Segal allowed just two earned runs in six and two-thirds innings on four hits and three walks.  Calnicky was 2-for-2 with a walk.

Central Baptist again got on the scoreboard first in game two with a first inning run, but Doty pitched around two errors and stranded four CBC runners in scoring position over the next three frames to keep Eureka only down 1-0.  The Red Devils, who were batting second in the second game, tied the score just as they did in the first game -- with a fourth inning solo home run from Kalnicky.

Although the Mustangs bounced back to take a 3-1 advantage, Eureka rallied back to tie the game again at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth.  This time, it was Segal's bat that did the work with a clutch two-out pitch hit single that sent Natalie Lardi (S. Wilmington, Ill./Gardner-S. Wilmington) and Nicole Ropp (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest) home.

But Central Baptist had a two-out rally of its own in the seventh.  The key hit came from Brandi McChristian, who blooped an RBI single into left to give CBC the lead for keeps.  The hit was followed by a two-run triple that made the score 6-3.

The Red Devils did not go down without a fight in their final turn at bat as EC got the tying run on base. Forbes reached on an error and Brandi Payne (Eureka, Ill./HS) beat out an infield single to put the first two hitters on base.  After two ground outs made the score 6-4, Lardi singled to right representing the trying run. Molly Wolber (Rock Falls, Ill./HS) was next up, and rapped a hard liner that was snared by the shortstop to end the threat.

Payne recorded three hits in the game, while Kalnicky and Segal drove in two runs.  Doty suffered a tough loss, surrendering four runs on five hits over 6.1 innings.

The Red Devils will be off one week before their next game.  They will play a non-conference twin bill at Greenville College Wednesday, March 12 at 4:00 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