Eureka splits double header with MacMurray in league action

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Eureka College baseball team scored eight runs over the first four innings of play, fueled by a three-run first inning, and held off the host in a 8-6 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference triumph over MacMurray, Tuesday afternoon at Dom Timm Field. The Highlanders recovered to win game two in seven innings, 15-5.

Run-scoring singles by senior infielder Nick Passini (Dalzell, Ill./St. Bede Academy [Illinois Valley]) and sophomore outfielder Trever Zeibert (Monee, Ill./Peotone) sandwiched around an unearned run that gave Eureka a 3-0 lead after the top of the first inning in game one.

MacMurray got a run back in the home half of the inning from a solo blast from Drew Johnson.

The Red Devils got that run back in the next half inning off another RBI-single courtesy of Passini.

The Highlanders evened the contest in their half of the second after a sacrifice fly and double brought two runners across home plate.

Another pair of RBI-singles from freshman catcher Grant Mullin (Hegewisch, Ill./St. Rita) and senior infielder Trevor Froehling (Cissna Park, Ill./Cissna Park [Millikin]) pushed the visitor's lead to 6-3 midway through the third inning.

Mullin extended Eureka's advantage to 8-3 with a two-RBI double, scoring Vogel and senior infielder Seth Aydt(Washington, Ill./Washington).

Freshman right-hander Jake Miller (Washington, Ill./Washington) tossed a complete game, surrendering 11 hits and six runs. Miller struck out one and issued zero walks to secure his first collegiate pitching victory.

Passini collected four hits in game one, last done by Blake Lishka who accomplished the feat against the Highlanders on April 7, 2014.

MacMurray poured on the runs early in game two. The Highlanders, who scored in all six innings, engineered 11 runs over the first four innings to run away with the game. Vogel and Aydt crushed a pair of 2-run home runs to supplement four of Eureka's five runs in game two. The fence-clearing shot was Aydt's second of the season and fifth of his career.

The Red Devils return to the diamond on Thursday with a conference contest at Iowa Wesleyan. First pitch of the tilt against the Tigers is scheduled for 3 p.m.