Red Devils Rally Late, Take Down Illinois College in Walk-Off Fashion, 8-7
EUREKA – The Eureka baseball team rallied late and took down Illinois College in walk-off fashion on Sunday.
The Red Devils scored eight unanswered runs en route to an 8-7 comeback victory over the Blueboys at Henry Sand Field.
The maroon and gold went into the bottom of the seventh inning trailing the Blueboys 7-4. They proceeded to put up four runs and end it with a bases-loaded single-up the middle by Chase Ulrich (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria/Illinois Central College).
Junior slugger Sam Buduris (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka Community/McKendree) got it all started with a lead-off single to left field, completing a 3-for-3 showing at the plate that also included a pair of doubles.
Jackson Green (Terrell, Texas/Terrell/Bacone) then drew a walk to put two on with no outs and prompt a pitching change.
When play resumed, freshman Joshua Frenden (New Port Richey, Fla./River Ridge/Philander Smith) stepped up to the plate and smashed his first career home run – a three-run, no-doubter over the right-field fence that tied the game at 7-7.
After that, EC drew three walks in five at-bats, with David Hidden (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria), Gabe Peters (Washington, Ill./Washington/Mount Mercy) and Garrett Flaagan (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley/ Williston State) all setting the stage for Ulrich's big moment.
With a 2-1 count, the senior sent it right to center field and his teammates sprinting to celebrate with him at first base.
The win moved the Red Devils to 5-6 on the season and handed the Blueboys just their third loss in 16 games. It was Eureka's first win over Illinois College since 2016. It also salvaged a non-conference split after the visitors pulled away midway through Game 1 to earn a 13-1 victory.
The bats came alive late for the home team on Sunday. After notching zero runs on two hits in the first four innings, the Red Devils posted eight runs on eight hits in the last three of the game. Frenden went 2-for-3 in the game, in addition to contributing the game-changing bomb late.
Flaagan and Brandt King (Rockford, Ill./Stillman Valley/Ripon) each had a hit in the win as well, while Green produced a pair of sac fly RBI.
Trailing 7-0 in the fourth, Green put EC on the board with a sac fly RBI and Frenden scored on a passed ball. Green came up with his second sac fly RBI in the fifth, and Frenden singled to drive in a run to make it a three-run game.
Nick Rulevish (Addieville, Ill./Okawville) made the comeback possible by contributing a strong performance on the mound in relief. He took over for Dominic Tenayuca (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Jacobs/ Lincoln) in the fourth inning and threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings to record his first career win, only allowing two hits and two walks while striking out three batters.
The Red Devils' near-spotless defense was another factor. The team only committed one error on the day – and saw Hidden contribute a stellar diving catch in Game 1 and Buduris run down and snag a hard shot in right field in Game 2.
Game 1: Illinois College 13, Eureka 1
The Blueboys turned a pitchers' duel into a lopsided contest with an eight-run sixth inning and tacked on four more runs in the seventh.
Before things got out of hand, Eureka starting pitcher Brayden Williams (Chouteau, Okla./Poteau/ Bacone) was in command of the mound. In the first five innings, the sophomore only allowed one run on three hits.
He got off to a rough start in the sixth, however, and the Blueboys continued to do damage as EC repeatedly went to the bullpen.
Williams took the loss after finishing with five earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings of work. He also contributed six strikeouts.
His counterpart, Illinois College's Jacob Smith, only conceded one run on three hits and three walks in six innings.
Eureka got on the board first, with Buduris leading off the second off with a triple and Frenden following it with a bloop RBI single to center. The Blueboys tied it at 1-1 in the third, then pulled away late.
Up Next
Eureka (5-6) will face North Park (9-6) in non-conference action on the road on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
