Red Devils Struggle Early in Loss to Wabash

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka baseball team faced a tough test at home on Wednesday, falling to Wabash 12-1 at Henry Sand Field.

The Red Devils fell behind early as the Little Giants plated three runs in the first inning. Wabash's Phillips set the tone with a walk, stole second, and eventually scored, while Fremion and McKinzie followed with RBI hits to give the visitors a 3-0 advantage.

Defensive struggles continued in the second inning, where two errors proved costly. Wabash capitalized as Ellsperman and Phillips crossed the plate, pushing the lead to 5-0. The Red Devils couldn't respond in the bottom half, remaining hitless through two innings.

Eureka found a spark in the sixth inning when Mike Dunne (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone) delivered a solo home run to left field, breaking the shutout and making it a 9-1 ballgame. Despite this momentum shift, Wabash maintained control and added to its lead, preventing any further rally attempts.

A bright spot for the Red Devils came in the seventh inning when Colter Junker (Wellington, Colo./Poudre) turned in a dominant relief outing, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. However, the Red Devils' offense was unable to build off his effort, stranding a runner before ultimately falling 12-1 in 7 innings.

GAME NOTES

• Mike Dunne led the Red Devils offensively, going deep for the team's lone run.
• Conor Fitzpatrick (North Barrington, Ill./Barrington) contributed two hits in three at-bats.
• Joshua Frenden (New Port Richey, Fla./River Ridge) came through as a pinch hitter, recording a hit in his only plate appearance.
• Colter Junker provided a strong showing in relief, tossing a hitless inning with two strikeouts.

UP NEXT

The Red Devils return to action on Saturday, hosting Principia for a SLIAC doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.