Dura drives Eureka to sweep of Westminster
EUREKA, Ill. – Eureka College freshman Kerrigan Dura (Brimfield, Ill./Brimfield) amassed fourteen runs batted in Sunday to break Eureka's single-season record, driving the Red Devils to a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference sweep of Westminster. The Red Devils won game one, 14-12, and later claimed the nightcap, 16-7.
The Red Devils have now won 10-straight, including their first four conference tests. The sweep improves Eureka's record to 18-2 overall and 4-0 in league action while the Blue Jays fall to 7-12 and 0-2 in the SLIAC.
Falling behind 1-0, the Red Devils scored three times in the bottom of the first inning. Dura smacked an RBI-triple to right field and later scored on junior Lexi Litwiller's (Eureka, Ill./Eureka [Lincoln College]) sacrifice fly. Sophomore Kali George (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) and junior Bridget Bankes (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria [Heartland CC]) roped back-to-back doubles to cap the scoring in the inning.
The Blue Jays countered with three runs in the top of the second to jump back ahead, but the Red Devils busted the game open with a four-run second inning. Dura started the burst with a two-run single to right field before Litwiller launched a home run to right center, giving the Red Devils a 7-4 advantage.
Eureka extended the lead to 10-4 in the third, placing three more runners across highlighted by a pair of run-scoring doubles from senior Savanna Tapper (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) and Dura.
The Red Devils added a pair of runs on both the fifth and sixth innings and held a seventh-inning rally by the Blue Jays for the victory.
In the circle George worked around 18 Westminster hits to secure her 10th win of the spring.
Dura finished game one 4-for-4 at the plate, including two doubles and triple. The freshman drove in five runs. Tapper added four hits and three RBIs, while Litwiller connected on her second home run of the season in a 3-RBI effort.
In game two, the Blue Jays were in control with a 5-0 lead until the host platted three in 3rd to slice the deficit to 5-3. Dura led the charge with a 2-RBI double to left and was brought home on a single to right by George.
Westminster scored their final two runs of the contest in the fourth behind a solo home run and run-scoring single to push the WC ahead, 7-3. Eureka used six hits in the home half of the inning, including another double by Dura that scored a pair and 2-run home run by Litwiller, to take their first lead of the nightcap, 10-7.
Dura brought home two more in the fifth on a single up the middle, and later ended the contest in six innings with a 3-run blast to left field.
Junior Rachel Patterson (Tremont, Ill./Tremont [ICC]) collected the victory in the circle, scattering eight hits and six earned runs. Patterson struck out two and walked six.
Dura drove in nine runs in game two, inlcuding a three-run home run. Litwiller add another home run, her second on the day and third of the year. Junior Bridget Bankes (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria [Heartland CC]) finished 3-for-3 at the plate in game two.
Dura's offensive effort pushes her slash line to .625/.654/1.097 on the year. Additionally, the freshman has tied Eureka's single-season record with five triples.
Eureka hits the road for the first time since their spring trip on Wednesday when they travel to Carlinville, Ill. for a conference double header against Blackburn. First pitch against the Beavers is set for 4 p.m.