Eureka Comes Up Short in Doubleheader at Cornell

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – The Eureka softball team dropped both games of a road doubleheader at Cornell on Saturday, falling 8-0 in five innings in the opener before a 3-1 defeat in game two.

GAME 1: Cornell 8, Eureka 0 (5 innings)

Eureka threatened early in the first inning when Tylar Whitaker (Country Club Hills, Ill./Rich Township) delivered a two-out double, but the Red Devils were unable to capitalize.

Cornell quickly took control, using a leadoff single followed by a two-run home run to jump out to a 2-0 lead after one inning. The Rams added another run in the second to extend the advantage to 3-0.

After a scoreless third inning, Cornell's offense broke the game open in the fourth with four runs to make it 7-0. The Rams plated one more in the fifth to invoke the run rule and secure the 8-0 victory.

Whitaker led the way offensively, finishing 1-for-1 with a walk and a double. Olivia Hurst (Ava, Ill./Freeburg Community) recorded Eureka's only other hit in the contest.

Mallory Kohnen (New Athens, Ill./New Athens) started in the circle, pitching 3.0 innings and allowing five runs on four hits and four walks. Maisie Bowers (Champaign, Ill./Champaign Central) threw 1.0 inning in relief, surrendering three runs on six hits.

GAME 2: Cornell 3, Eureka 1

Eureka again put early pressure on Cornell, as Whitaker drew a two-out walk and stole second base in the first inning, but the Red Devils were unable to bring her home.

Cornell struck first in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of a single, stolen base, and a throwing error to grab a 1-0 lead. The Rams added another run in the second to go ahead 2-0.

Kaitlyn Robinson (Macomb, Ill./Macomb) settled in from there, keeping Cornell off the scoreboard over the next three innings to keep Eureka in the game.

The Red Devils broke through in the sixth inning, loading the bases on walks by Shaylun Christenberry (Brocton, Ill./Shiloh) and Hurst, along with an error that allowed Danika Apostolovich (Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield) to reach. Breannyn Dixon (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) delivered a two-out RBI single to cut the deficit to 2-1, but the tying run was thrown out at the plate to end the scoring threat.

Cornell responded with an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth and held Eureka scoreless in the seventh to close out the 3-1 win.

Dixon finished 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Apostolovich recorded the only other hit for Eureka. Hurst reached base twice via walks.

Robinson tossed a complete game in the circle, allowing just one earned run on five hits and four walks.

UP NEXT

Eureka returns home on Wednesday to host Millikin for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.