Photo courtesy of Michelle Curl.
Photo courtesy of Michelle Curl.

Eureka Drops Road Trip Opener to Hanover, 10-3

HANOVER, Ind. –  In the first game of the Eureka College baseball team's spring break road trip, Hanover used a six-run sixth inning to pull away and earn a 10-3 victory over the Red Devils.

Senior Grant Mullin (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) went 3-for-4 and had two RBIs for EC, while fellow senior Joe Quinn (Coal City, Ill./Coal City) drove in the other run. With the loss, the Red Devils fell to 2-1. Hanover improved to 5-2 in its first game since competing in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational last week.

Hanover's Grant Larimore had three hits, and Ty Stover, Mark Walkenhorst, Tyler Fitch and Andrew Littlefield all had two apiece. The Panthers outhit EC 13-6 Tuesday, with most of their production coming during that critical rally.

Leading 4-2, the home team drove in six runs on six hits and one error. The Panthers loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. The Red Devils came one out away from getting out of the jam without any damage, but four hits, an error and a sacrifice fly later, the Panthers had a firm upper hand.

In the eighth inning, the Red Devils manufactured a run to get one back. A Sean Green (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) single and an error that allowed Mike Redmond (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) to reach base led to an RBI single down the left-field line for Mullin. However, a fly-out and a groundout later, left two stranded.

The Red Devils scored the first run of the game in the first inning after Quinn delivered an RBI single that drove in Green, who was hit by a pitch and stole second and third.

Hanover responded with a run in the second, and EC took it back with an RBI double to left-center by Mullin. The Panthers regained it for good with a two-run third and made it 4-2 in the fourth.

Hanover's Eli Copner limited EC to three runs on five hits and zero walks in eight innings of work for the Panthers.

Eureka will continue its road trip on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Sewanee at 1 p.m.