Alfred State Gets Edge Over Eureka Late, 6-4

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Eureka baseball team came up just short in the ninth inning against Alfred State on Tuesday.

With the game tied at 4-4 in the top of the ninth, the Pioneers came up with two solo home runs to take a two-run lead, and the Red Devils were unable to respond in the bottom half, falling 6-4.

Eureka's Chase Ulrich (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria/Illinois Central College) tied the game with a three-run bomb in the fourth inning for his second homer of the season.

The game stayed tied until the top of the eighth when Alfred State's Bryson Rigsby singled with a runner on third to make it 4-3.

The Red Devils proceeded to tie it back up in the bottom half on an RBI groundout by Braden Cox (Washington, Ill./Illini Bluffs/Black Hawk) that scored Nick Rulevish (Addieville, Ill./Okawville). Prior to that Rulevish singled with one out and advanced to third on an error that allowed David Hidden (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) to reach safely.

Rulevish, the Red Devils' leadoff hitter, batted 2-for-4 and was responsible for half of the team's hits. Cox had the single that put two on for Ulrich's homer following a walk drawn by Hidden.

Nathan Garard (Gibson City, Ill./Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley) took the loss on the mound after eight solid innings of work, allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk, and striking out five batters. Mike Dunne (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone/Lincoln Land) came on in the ninth after Alfred State's leadoff homer by Sam Dickerson, and conceded the second blast by Nick Serce before getting out of the inning.

For the fourth time in eight games, the Red Devils didn't commit any errors in the field.

After a string of close losses, Eureka (2-6) will look to get over the hump on Wednesday against Sewanee (10-7-1) at 1:30 p.m.