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For Immediate Release
April 2, 2010
Eureka Breezes Past Westminster For SLIAC Sweep
EUREKA, Ill. – Eureka College sophomore second baseman Tomi Tapper (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria H.S.) hit her second career home run in the opener of Friday’s St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader against Westminster, lifting the Red Devils to an 8-2 victory. In game two, sophomore outfielder Kelsey Netherton (Sullivan, Ill./Sullivan H.S.) recorded her first collegiate hit with a game-tying RBI double in the sixth inning, sparking Eureka in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory.
Battling high winds throughout the day, Eureka took the lead for good in the second inning of the opener when Tapper smacked a two-run shot to left field for a 2-0 advantage. The home run was the first of the season for Tapper and second of her career after she previously homered April 22, 2009 against MacMurray. Eureka made it 4-0 one inning later on a two-run double from senior catcher Cathy Kalnicky (Bolingbrook, Ill./Plainfield H.S.) and put the game further out of reach with a three-run fourth inning. The Red Devils recorded five consecutive singles in the frame, all with two outs, to push their lead to 7-0.
Senior third baseman Jill Doty (Metamora, Ill./Metamora H.S./Illinois Central) went 3-for-3 with two runs scored to pace the Eureka offense. Kalnicky and freshman outfielder Lauren Kao (Normal, Ill./Normal Community H.S.) each went 2-for-4, while Kalnicky added three RBI. Senior pitcher Kelsey Brandt (Morton, Ill./Morton H.S.) went the distance to win her second consecutive start, striking out 10 Blue Jays and walking none.
In the nightcap, Westminster scored a single run in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie. Emily Masso tripled to lead off the inning and later scored on Kenna Cornelson’s sacrifice fly in foul territory down the left field line for the 1-0 lead. Eureka promptly answered with two runs in the top of the sixth. Kalnicky recorded an infield single to start the inning and scored from first base one batter later when Netherton ripped a double to deep left field. Netherton scored three batters later on an RBI single to center field from Tapper for a 2-1 Eureka lead. The Red Devils provided further insurance in the seventh when Doty scored on the second passed ball of the inning by Westminster catcher Amy Baumhoer.
Sophomore starting pitcher Sarah Jesse (Mackinaw, Ill./Bloomington H.S.) scattered 10 hits over 7.0 innings to record her second collegiate victory. She stranded runners in scoring position in four of the final five innings. The Eureka defense shined in the sixth inning when senior center fielder Amy Scammahorn (Decatur, Ill./Warrensburg-Latham H.S./Parkland) caught a fly ball with one out and doubled off Westminster’s Morgan Campbell between second and third base for an inning-ending double play.
With the two victories, Eureka has won four of its last five games, the best five-game stretch for the Red Devils since winning four out of five last season in mid-April. The doubleheader sweep is the first for Eureka since taking two from Blackburn on April 16, 2009.
The Red Devils will return to the diamond next Tuesday for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill.
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
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