Monmouth Nips Red Devils in Non-Conference Play
MONMOUTH, Ill. – Monmouth nipped the Eureka softball team in a couple of close non-conference contests on Friday.
The Fighting Scots rallied past the Red Devils relatively late in the game for an 8-5 win in Game 1 and a 12-10 win in Game 2.
Eureka senior Raelyn Payne (Lexington, Ill./Lexington), however, racked up six stolen bases on the day, tying Eureka's single-season steals record with 27 on the season and moving into a tie for third in program history.
She is now tied with Jaquie Bruell (2000) for most stolen bases in a single season at Eureka, and is tied with Minda Sylvester (1996-99) for the third-most career steals by a Red Devil.
Game 1: Monmouth 8, Eureka 5
The Red Devils held a 4-3 lead after 4 1/2 innings, but the home team turned the tables in the bottom of the fifth.
That was when the Fighting Scots claimed five runs on five hits and one error.
They put two on with a pair of singles early, scored one run off an error, and two batters later, delivered a grand slam to make it 8-4.
The Red Devils eventually worked their way out of their inning with bases loaded. Then, in the sixth, they got one run back with a sac bunt by Elly Maier (Clinton, Ill./Clinton).
That ended up being the team's last run of the game, though. Monmouth got a strikeout to end the inning.
The Red Devils got two runners on in the seventh, bringing the game-tying run to the plate, but they ultimately went down swinging.
Eureka finished with five runs on six hits.
Bria Wessel (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) went 2-for-4 with a double and team-high three RBI. She singled to plate the first run of the game in the third inning, then doubled to drive in two more in the top of the fifth.
Tressa Grisham (Morton, Ill./East Peoria) also had an RBI single in the fifth, Raelyn Payne and Delaney Douglas (Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland) each had a hit as well. Payne stole three bases, while Maier and Grisham each swiped one.
Pitcher Sidney Wightman (Waterloo, Ill./Gibault Catholic) pitched six innings, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits and seven walks while getting a pair of strikeouts.
Game 2: Monmouth 12, Eureka 10
Game 2 was a back-and-forth affair in which the Red Devils just couldn't stay on top.
The team jumped out a 5-0 lead in the first two innings, only to see Monmouth respond with a five-run second. When the team took the lead with a pair of runs in the third, Monmouth came up with three in the next innings.
The Red Devils leapfrogged the Fighting Scots with a three-run fifth innings, but the home team responded with four more in the sixth.
Wessel went 3-for-5, drove in a team-high five runs while contributing a double and her second home run of the season. Payne went 2-for-3 with a double and scored a team-high three times.
Kate LeMasters (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) had two hits, including a two-run triple. Christine Mepham (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) doubled and drove in a run, and Bri Tanksley (Spring Bay, Ill./Metamora) singled and drove in a run. Grisham and Maier also each contributed a hit. Payne stole three bases and Grisham stole one.
Up Next
The Red Devils (9-16, 4-4 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) will jump back into conference play on Saturday with a home doubleheader against Webster (10-11, 6-2) at Sweitzer Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.