For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

April 8, 2008

Brandt shutout helps EC to 3-1 conference start

Boxscores: Game 1 | Game 2

FULTON, Mo — The Eureka softball team split a SLIAC doubleheader at Westminster College Saturday, taking the opening game 3-0 behind a shutout by Kelsey Brandt (Morton, Ill./HS), but dropping a 3-1 decision in the nightcap.

Brandt tossed a four-hitter to improve her record to 2-3 on the season.  She walked just one batter, and held the Blue Jays (3-19, 1-5 SLIAC) to 1-for-11 with runners on base.

Eureka (8-8, 3-1 SLIAC) got the only runs it would need in the third.  Molly Wolber (Rock Falls, Ill./HS), who singled to begin the inning, scored on a wild throw by the Westminster catcher during Emily Forbes' (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) stolen base attempt. Forbes then made the score 2-0 in favor of the Red Devils when she came home on an RBI double by Cathy Kalnicky (Bolingbrook, Ill./Plainfield).

Nicole Ropp (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest) and Brandi Payne (Eureka, Ill./HS) sandwiched singles around a wild pitch in the sixth inning to pad Eureka's lead to 3-0.  After stranding runners on second and third in the third inning, Westminster did not get more than one runner on base in any inning over the final four frames against Brandt.

Natalie Lardi (S. Wilmington, Ill./Gardner-S. Wilmington), who was credited with one of Eureka's four sacrifices in the game, went 2-for-3 and was the only player in the game to record more than one hit.

After suffering the loss in game one, Westminster pitcher Katie Pilgram gave up just one unearned tally in game two in a complete game win.  Eureka starter Abby Segal (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) allowed her first earned run in 26.1 innings in the opening stanza, and EC never caught up.

The Red Devils' only run came in the fourth inning when Forbes smashed a triple to left and scored when the throw back in from the left fielder got away.  That run sliced Westminster's advantage to 2-1, but Eureka never got the tying run on base as the Blue Jays added a run on two doubles in the sixth.

Forbes recorded two hits and a run in the game for her third multi-hit game of the season and team-leading 17th run scored.

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For More Information Contact:

Bryan Moore
Sports Information Director
Eureka College
300 E. College Avenue
Eureka, Illinois 61530
309-467-6456
bmoore@eureka.edu