Red Devils Sweep Principia in SLIAC Doubleheader

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka baseball team completed a SLIAC sweep of Principia on Saturday, securing back-to-back wins at Henry Sand Field.

GAME 1 – Eureka 11, Principia 3

After conceding an early lead, the Red Devils' offense exploded in the third inning, rallying for five runs to take control of the game. Nickolas Cartmill (Fort Worth, Texas/Burleson) and David Hidden (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) opened the frame with singles before Noah Company (Le Roy, Ill./Le Roy) drove in the first run with an RBI single. Conor Fitzpatrick's (North Barrington, Ill./Barrington) base hit, coupled with an error, plated two more. Fitzpatrick later scored on a balk, and Joshua Frenden (New Port Richey, Fla./River Ridge) capped the rally with an RBI single to put Eureka ahead 5-2.

The Red Devils continued to apply pressure in the fourth, tacking on three more runs. Cartmill led off with a single, advanced on Company's double, and scored on a Fitzpatrick RBI single. Fitzpatrick then stole second and third before scoring on a single by Frenden.

Eureka's offensive momentum carried into the fifth when Cartmill doubled and Hidden launched a two-run home run, extending the lead to 10-2. In the sixth, Brandt King (Rockford, Ill./Stillman Valley) added a sacrifice fly to bring in Frenden, sealing an 11-3 win.

GAME NOTES

• Nickolas Cartmill led the Red Devils with three hits, three runs scored, and a double.
• Noah Company tied for the team lead in hits with three and RBIs with two.
• Conor Fitzpatrick went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs, and four stolen bases.
• David Hidden contributed a two-run homer and reached base twice.

GAME 2 – Eureka 7, Principia 3

Eureka carried its momentum into Game 2, taking an early lead and never looking back in a 7-3 victory.

The Red Devils struck first in the opening frame when Company reached on an error, stole two bases, and scored on a throwing error. Frenden added another run in the second after drawing a walk and scoring on an error, putting Eureka ahead 2-0.

In the fourth inning, Principia got on the board with a solo homer from Gingras, but Eureka their lead in the bottom half of the inning behind a two-RBI triple from Ace Padilla (Castle Rock, Colo./Grayslake North), scoring Frenden and Ben Perrine (Payson, Ill./Payson Seymour). Cartmill followed with a groundout that allowed Padilla to cross the plate, making it 5-1.

Fitzpatrick and Mike Dunne (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone) singled in the fifth, setting up Frenden's sacrifice fly to score Fitzpatrick. Principia trimmed the deficit with a two-run homer by B. Ramsey, but Eureka responded in the sixth when Padilla singled, stole second, and scored on a Company RBI single to make it 7-3.

The Red Devils' defense and pitching held strong the rest of the way, securing the sweep.

GAME NOTES

• Ace Padilla delivered a standout performance, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs, two runs, and two stolen bases.
• Joshua Frenden reached base three times, scoring twice and recording an RBI.
• Colton Yanish (LaSalle-Peru, Ill./LaSalle-Peru Township) pitched four innings, allowing three earned runs while striking out four.

UP NEXT

Eureka returns to action on Thursday, April 3, when they host Rockford for a doubleheader starting at 12:00 p.m.