Red Devils Unable to Slow Blackburn Offense in Doubleheader

CARLINVILLE, Ill. – The Eureka softball team hit the road Tuesday for a SLIAC doubleheader against Blackburn, where the Red Devils dropped both games by scores of 13-1 and 11-2.

GAME 1 – Blackburn 13, Eureka 1 (5 Innings)

Blackburn jumped ahead early with a two-run home run from Frey in the first inning, and the Beavers added another run in the second to lead 3-0.

In the top of the third, Bre Dixon (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) put Eureka on the board with a solo home run, cutting the deficit to 3-1. Blackburn answered in the bottom half with a five-run outburst, then added another five in the fourth behind a two-run triple by Tabian and Frey's second home run of the game to pull away 13-1.

The Red Devils were held scoreless in the fifth, sealing the early decision for the Beavers.

GAME NOTES

• Bre Dixon finished 1-for-1 with a home run.
• Ashlyn Voyles (Farmer City, Ill./Farmer City) collected one hit in two at-bats.
• Alyssa Bundren (Spring Bay, Ill./Metamora) pitched all four innings, allowing 13 runs on 11 hits while striking out three.

GAME 2 – Blackburn 11, Eureka 2 (5 Innings)

The Red Devils came out swinging in Game 2, as Alayla Thornton (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) launched a solo home run in the top of the first to give Eureka an early 1–0 advantage.

Blackburn responded quickly with three runs in the bottom half and exploded for five more in the third, highlighted by a home run from Schoen and a two-RBI triple by Frey. Eureka was able to hold Blackburn scoreless in the second but couldn't generate any offense during that stretch.

In the fourth, Blackburn tacked on three more runs to push their lead to 11–1. Eureka showed signs of life in the fifth as Lexi Liptak (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) and Callie Warlow (Le Roy, Ill./Le Roy) each singled, and Ashlyn Voyles drove in a run, but the rally was short-lived as the game ended in another five-inning decision.

GAME NOTES

• Alayla Thornton finished 1-for-3 with a home run (7^th of the season).
• Lexi Liptak went a perfect 2-for-2 with a run scored.
• Ashlyn Voyles contributed a hit and an RBI.
• Bre Dixon added a hit in her only plate appearance, finishing with a 2.000 OPS.

UP NEXT

Eureka will host Westminster on Saturday for Senior Day in their season finale. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for noon.