Eureka Falls at North Park, 18-4

CHICAGO – The Eureka baseball team dropped an 18-4 non-conference matchup on the road against a tough North Park team on Tuesday.

The Red Devils fell behind early, and the home team consistently kept on tacking on runs, scoring four or more runs in four straight innings.

Eureka scored four runs on seven hits, plating three in the fourth inning and one in the seventh.

An RBI single by Sam Buduris (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka Community/McKendree) put the Red Devils on the board after Garrett Flaagan (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley/Williston State) led the fourth off with a single and Mike Dunne (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone/Lincoln Land) was hit by a pitch. Jackson Green (Terrell, Texas/Terrell/Bacone) then singled to drive in another run before Chase Ulrich (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria/Illinois Central College) brought in one more on a ground-ball double-play.

An RBI single by Bryce Ruple (Decatur, Ill./Sangamon Valley) scored David Hidden (East Peoria, Ill.) in the seventh for EC's last run of the game.

Buduris went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base, while five others contributed a base hit.

The Red Devils used five pitchers on the night, but most struggled to keep North Park from producing at the plate. Ty Kapp (Downs, Ill./Tri-Valley) was the lone exception, striking out three batters in 1 1/3 hitless innings to end the game.

Eureka (5-7) will look to bounce back on Saturday when Blackburn (3-8) comes to town for a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play opener at Henry Sand Field. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.