Eureka Notches First-Ever Win Over Franklin

FRANKLIN, Ind. – The Eureka softball team kept its strong run going Sunday, knocking off Franklin 5-4 in the second game of a doubleheader to secure the program's first-ever win over the Grizzlies and earn a split on the road.

The Red Devils have now won four of their last six games.

GAME 1: Franklin 13, Eureka 6

Franklin struck first with a run in the opening inning before Eureka responded in the second. Olivia Hurst (Ava, Ill./Freeburg Community) reached on an error and Breannyn Dixon (Newark, Ill./Newark Community) was hit by a pitch to put two aboard. Kaitlyn Robinson (Macomb, Ill./Macomb) followed with a two-run double to give Eureka a 2-1 lead, and Lexi Liptak (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) added an RBI single to extend it to 3-1.

Franklin answered with two runs in the bottom half to tie the game, but Eureka regained control in the third. Tylar Whitaker (Country Club Hills, Ill./Rich Township) led off with a single and Hurst followed with another hit. Shaylun Christenberry (Brocton, Ill./Shiloh) delivered an RBI single, and Robinson added a two-run single to push the lead to 6-3.

The Grizzlies responded again with three runs in the bottom of the third to even the score at 6-6, then took over late. Franklin scored four runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to pull away for the win.

Robinson went 2 for 3 with a double, four RBIs, and a run scored. Whitaker finished 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored, while Liptak and Christenberry each drove in a run.

Christenberry pitched all six innings, allowing 13 runs (nine earned) on 10 hits.

GAME 2: Eureka 5, Franklin 4

Eureka jumped out early in the second game. Liptak drew a leadoff walk and Danika Apostolovich (Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield) followed with a single. Ashlyn Voyles (Farmer City, Ill./Blue Ridge) drove in a run with a double, and Hurst added a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

The Red Devils extended their lead in the fourth with back-to-back milestone home runs. Robinson hit an inside-the-park homer, the first of her career, and Apostolovich followed with her first career home run to make it 5-0.

Robinson was dominant in the circle early, tossing four scoreless innings before Franklin broke through with a run in the fifth. The Grizzlies added three more in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-4, but Robinson held them scoreless in the seventh to secure the win.

Robinson earned the complete-game victory, allowing four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts. She has now won each of her last three starts and four of her last five.

Apostolovich went 2 for 3 with a walk, a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Robinson finished 1 for 3 with a walk and the inside-the-park home run, while Voyles and Hurst each added an RBI.

UP NEXT

Eureka returns to action Wednesday with a road doubleheader at Illinois College beginning at 3 p.m.