Eureka Falls to Webster in SLIAC Opener at Illinois State

NORMAL, Ill. – The Red Devils opened SLIAC play against Webster on Saturday at Illinois State University but were unable to come away with a victory, dropping both games of the doubleheader. Eureka fell 12-1 in five innings in Game 1 before falling 9-1 in Game 2.

GAME 1 – Webster 12, Eureka 1 (5 Innings)

Webster defeated Eureka 12-1 in the opening game of the day at Duffy Bass Field.

The Red Devils got on the board in the third inning, cutting into Webster's lead. Noah Company (Le Roy, Ill./Le Roy) singled to left field and advanced to second on an error. After a sacrifice bunt by Nickolas Cartmill (Fort Worth, Texas/Burleson), Company moved to third. Two walks loaded the bases, and an error by Webster's shortstop allowed Company to score, making it a 4-1 game.

Eureka had another scoring opportunity in the fourth. Jon Leon Guerrero (Temecula, Calif./Great Oak) drew a walk, and back-to-back singles by Company and Cartmill loaded the bases with one out. However, the Gorloks' defense held strong, keeping the Red Devils from pushing any more runs across, and Webster held onto its 6-1 lead.

In the sixth, Company continued his strong performance with a double to right-center field, but Eureka was unable to bring him home. The Red Devils' final push came in the seventh when David Hidden (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) doubled to left, but the inning ended without further scoring as Webster secured the win, 12-1.

GAME NOTES

• Noah Company led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double.
• David Hidden contributed a double.
• Ethan McDonald (Mannford, Okla./Mannford) started on the mound, tossing three innings with three strikeouts, allowing four earned runs.
• Aaron Cabrera (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief, striking out two batters.

GAME 2 – Webster 9, Eureka 1

Eureka put up a fight in Game 2 but ultimately fell to Webster by a score of 9-1.

Webster struck first in the opening inning when reached on a bunt, stole second and third, and scored on a double by Theodore to give the Gorloks an early 1-0 lead. The Red Devils went down in order in the bottom half.

Webster extended its lead in the second. After an error and a balk advanced Hartz, Wrubluski delivered a two-run homer, making it 3-0. Eureka's Brandt King (Rockford, Ill./Stillman Valley) worked a walk but was stranded after two strikeouts ended the inning.

Eureka responded in the fourth. Conor Fitzpatrick (North Barrington, Ill./Barrington) and Cartmill each singled, and Fitzpatrick came around to score on a groundout by King, cutting the deficit to 7-1 after Webster had tacked on two more runs earlier in the frame.

The Red Devils had a chance to add more in the eighth when Fitzpatrick singled, but they were unable to push another run across. Webster closed out the game with a 9-1 win.

GAME NOTES

• Conor Fitzpatrick led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Nickolas Cartmill added a hit, a walk, and a stolen base.
• Brandt King reached base twice with two walks and an RBI.
• Sheldon Geuvens (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) pitched three innings in relief, allowing two earned runs.

UP NEXT

Eureka looks to rebound as they travel to Fontbonne for another SLIAC doubleheader on Tuesday at 10 a.m. in St. Louis, Mo.