Red Devils Rewrite Record Books in Rout of Maranatha Baptist

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka baseball team swept Maranatha Baptist in a Monday doubleheader, highlighted by a 32-0 victory in game two that marked the largest win in program history.

GAME 1: Eureka 11, Maranatha Baptist 2

After a scoreless first inning, Eureka broke through in the second as Conor Fitzpatrick (North Barrington, Ill./Barrington) reached on a walk and Joshua Stanley (Huntsville, Texas/Huntsville) followed with a single. Fitzpatrick scored on a passed ball before Stanley later came home on an RBI groundout by Nick Grisofe (Murfreesboro, Tenn./Rockvale).

Starting pitcher Connor Metz (Tinley Park, Ill./Victor J. Andrew) set the tone early, tossing three scoreless innings to open the game. The Red Devils added three runs in the third, as Andrew Zimmerman (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) singled and Noah Company (Le Roy, Ill./Le Roy) walked before Dylan Smith (Farina, Ill./South Central) delivered a two-run double. Smith later scored on a sacrifice fly by Camden Smith (Florence, Ala./Florence) to extend the lead to 5-0.

Maranatha Baptist got on the board in the fourth, but Eureka answered in the bottom half. Stanley singled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Slater (Huntsville, Texas/Huntsville) to make it 6-1.

The Red Devils broke the game open in the fifth, scoring three runs behind a double from Company, a hit-by-pitch drawn by Grant Hackney (Morton, Ill./Morton), and RBI knocks from Fitzpatrick and Stanley to push the lead to 9-1.

Eureka capped the scoring in the sixth with two more runs, as Ethan McDonald (Cleveland, Okla./Mannford) and Joe Clark (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) walked to start the inning. McDonald scored on a wild pitch and Clark crossed the plate on an RBI groundout by Heath Bolden (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Edison PSA).

Metz earned the win, throwing 6.0 innings while allowing two runs (none earned) on three hits with seven strikeouts. Colin DeLaere (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) closed out the game with a perfect seventh inning.

Stanley led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI, and two runs scored. Fitzpatrick added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored, while Dylan Smith and Camden Smith each drove in two runs.

GAME 2: Eureka 32, Maranatha Baptist 0

The Eureka offense exploded in game two, scoring 32 runs on a barrage of hits to secure the largest victory in program history.

The Red Devils struck quickly with four runs in the first inning, highlighted by a two-RBI single from Nate Cooley (Chillicothe, Ill./Illinois Valley Central) and aggressive baserunning, including Fitzpatrick stealing home.

Eureka extended the lead to 7-0 in the second behind RBI singles from Dewrell Wesley (Mountain View, Calif./Los Altos) and Stanley before adding seven more runs in the third. Zimmerman recorded an RBI double, Camden Smith delivered a two-RBI triple, and Bolden and Clark each contributed RBI singles.

The Red Devils continued to pour it on in the fourth with 10 runs. Andrew Sprinkle (Dorsey, Ill./Edwardsville) and Grant Niemeyer (Oakville, Mo./Oakville Senior) each delivered three-RBI doubles, while Leon Danta (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) recorded an RBI single and was later hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. McDonald and CJ Schoeffel (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Lutheran) also drove in runs to push the lead to 24-0.

Eureka added eight more runs in the fifth, with Corbin Derr (Flagstaff, Ariz./Coconino) and Solomon Muliira (Milwaukee, Wis./Burris Laboratory) each recording two-RBI doubles. Tyler Jones (Monmouth, Ill./Monmouth-Roseville) , Sprinkle, and Danta added RBI singles to cap the scoring at 32-0.

On the mound, Jake Steele (Monmouth, Ill./Monmouth-Roseville) started and threw 3.0 no-hit innings with four strikeouts. Colby Minshew (Mabank, Texas/Dallas Christian), Cole Smith (Phoenix, Ariz./Horizon), Noah Stevens (Katy, Texas/Morton Ranch), and Brandon Bates (Black Creek, Wis./Seymour Community) each followed with a scoreless inning to complete the shutout, with Smith and Bates striking out two batters apiece.

Sprinkle led the offensive surge, going 2-for-3 with a double, four RBIs, and three runs scored. Danta added three hits, three RBIs, and three runs scored, while Niemeyer finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

UP NEXT

Eureka returns to action Tuesday, hosting Greenville in a SLIAC doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at home.