For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

April 16, 2008

Kalnicky's bat, Brandt's arm lead Red Devils vs. Webster

Boxscores: Game 1 | Game 2

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Red Devils softball team returned to the diamond after an eight day layoff, dropping a pair of road SLIAC games to defending league champion Webster University by competitive scores of 2-1 and 4-1.

Game one was a duel between pitchers Kelsey Brandt (Morton, Ill./HS) for Eureka (10-10, 3-3 SLIAC) and Megan Sperry for Webster (14-10, 5-1 SLIAC).  Both allowed six hits in complete game efforts, while combining for only one walk.  Over the last five frames, Brandt allowed just three hits, shutting out a Gorloks team that was averaging almost eight runs per game in conference play coming into the contest.

Unfortunately for the Red Devils, the Gorloks would tally all the runs they would need in the first inning on a two-run homer by Kelsey Washam.

Cathy Kalnicky (Bolingbrook, Ill./Plainfield) tried to pull Eureka through to victory with a 3-for-3 game at the plate highlighted by two doubles.

She was stranded on second base after a one out double in the fourth inning, but came up again in the sixth following a two-out single by Molly Wolber (Rock Falls, Ill./HS).  Kalnicky hit Wolber home to get EC within
2-1, and moved to third as the tying run on an infield hit by Brandi Payne (Eureka, Ill./HS).  However, a ground out to third ended the threat.

Sperry, who recorded 13 strikeouts in the game, set EC down in order in the seventh to hold the lead for Webster.  Eureka collected four hits with two outs, but was handcuffed by failing to get a lead off hitter on base in any inning.

Game two stayed scoreless until the third when Webster plated three runs on two hits and two errors.  Washam again provided a two-RBI hit, this time a double with one out that put the Gorloks ahead 3-0.

As in the opener, Wolber scored the only run for Eureka.  She singled in the fourth inning and later scored on a two-out hit by Natalie Lardi (S. Wilmington, Ill./Gardner-S. Wilmington).

Lardi's RBI cut the EC deficit to two runs at 3-1.  The Red Devils mustered scoring chances in both the fifth and sixth as Eureka has two runners on base in both frames.  But on both occasions, a strikeout snuffed out the rally before EC could get any closer.

Webster picked up an unearned tally in the seventh to set the final score.  The Gorloks left 11 runners on base compared to five stranded by Eureka.  Abby Segal (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) fanned nine Webster hitters in 5.1 innings pitched. She allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits and five walks.  Brandt came on in relief to toss 1.2 innings of shut out ball.

Eureka is next scheduled to play at home versus Greenville College at 3:00 pm on Thursday, April 17.

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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