Eureka Closes Weekend Series with Losses to MUW

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka baseball team closed out its weekend series against MUW on Sunday, finishing the suspended game from Saturday with an 11-7 loss in SLIAC play before falling 9-4 in the nonconference series finale.

GAME 1 – MUW 11, Eureka 7 (Resumed from April 12)
MUW pulled away late in a back-and-forth battle, scoring four runs in the seventh to complete an 11-7 win over Eureka in the resumed game from Friday.

After falling behind 4-0 in the opening frame, the Red Devils chipped away. Ace Padilla (Castle Rock, Colo./Grayslake North) sparked the offense with an RBI triple in the second, and David Hidden (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) followed with a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 5-2.

The Red Devils surged ahead in the third with a four-run outburst. Joshua Frenden (New Port Richey, Fla./River Ridge) tripled home a run, and Mike Dunne (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone) followed with a double to give Eureka a 6-5 lead.

Each team added a run in the fourth, with Conor Fitzpatrick (North Barrington, Ill./Barrington) scoring on a wild pitch to maintain a one-run lead. However, MUW tied it with a solo homer in the fifth and used a four-run seventh inning to take control for good.

GAME NOTES

• The game was suspended after seven innings due to darkness on April 12 and resumed on April 13.
• Ben Perrine (Payson, Ill./Payson Seymour) extended his hitting streak to nine games, reaching base three times and swiping a bag.
• David Hidden led the Red Devils with a 2-for-3 day at the plate, tallying three RBIs and drawing a walk.
• Ace Padilla contributed five assists defensively and added a triple and an RBI.
• Mike Dunne chipped in with an RBI double and a run scored.

GAME 2 – MUW 9, Eureka 4
Eureka dropped the final game of the weekend series 9-4, as MUW used a pair of three-run innings to take command and close out the sweep.

MUW grabbed an early 2-0 lead through two innings before the Red Devils rallied in the third. Noah Company (Le Roy, Ill./Le Roy) singled and came around to score on an error. Fitzpatrick followed with an RBI single and later scored on Hayden McKenna's (Sheridan, Ill.) knock to cut the deficit to 3-2.

A two-run homer and in the fourth gave MUW the lead for good. Eureka cut the deficit to 5-3 in the bottom half, but MUW tacked on three more in the sixth and another in the seventh to stay in control.

Despite a late push that included a deep fly ball by Hidden that was spectacularly robbed at the wall for what would have been a grand slam, the Red Devils' rally ultimately fell short.

Ethan Hedge (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) notched two hits, including a double, while McKenna added a hit and an RBI. On the mound, Aaron Cabrera (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge/Erie) worked three innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out three.

GAME NOTES

• David Hidden nearly launched a grand slam in the seventh but was robbed by a highlight-reel catch in left field.
• Conor Fitzpatrick paced the offense with two hits and an RBI, extending his hitting streak to seven games.
• Ethan Hedge (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) notched two hits, including a double, while Hayden McKenna added a hit and an RBI.
• On the mound, Aaron Cabrera (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) worked three innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out three.

UP NEXT

Eureka will hit the road to face WashU on Wednesday, April 16. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. in St. Louis.