Let there be offense! Euts and Blue Tigers split

ALTON, IL – Frigid temperatures did nothing to slow down the offense. On a day not short on offense for the Eutectics, it was only good enough to earn a split of a Friday doubleheader against the Lincoln Blue Tigers. The UHSP bullpen could not close out game one after the Eutectics forced extras with a four-run seventh, but it was Lincoln that won the opener 14-8 in nine innings. The Eutectic pitching staff got as many runs as they could ever want in game two as UHSP throttled the Blue Tigers in a record-setting nightcap, 18-1.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

LINCOLN 14, UHSP 8 (9 INN)

• Lincoln plated an unearned run in the fourth to grab a 1-0 lead. Darn Walters-Ansell tripled off the wall in straight away centerfield to open the inning. Liam Macphie snagged a sharply hit ball by Easton Stuckenschneider and threw him out at first. Hunter Mitchell hit a one-hopper right back to Barrett Lohman. Lohman knocked it down with his glove and the ball rolled behind the mound. Lohman scrambled to retrieve it and threw out Mitchell as the runner held at third. With two outs, Blythe Blakey hit a ground ball to third that Macphie this time could not handle as the Blue Tigers took the lead.
• The Blue Tigers would add another unearned run in the fifth as Nate Lucas tripled to left and then scored on an infield error to make it a 2-0 game.
• UHSP would send nine men to the plate and score four times in the home half of the fifth. It all started after a pair of strikeouts after which the Eutectics loaded the bases. Holden Campbell hit a high fly ball to left, but Nate Lucas was battling the sun and the wind and ended up overrunning the ball as it dropped well behind him as two runs scored. Then it was more standard issue two-run RBI double by Nolan Harding as he roped one to left to put the Purple and Gold on top 4-2.
• Lincoln scored twice in the sixth on three doubles to re-tie the game at 4-4 as Mitchell and Andy Srebroski IV both delivered RBI doubles to left.
• Carter Otto came on to pitch the sixth for the Blue Tigers after Canon Feist went the first five. Feist gave up the four runs on five hits, walked four and fanned five and would not factor in the decision.
• Lohman would be lifted after six strong innings. Only two of his four runs allowed were earned as he struck out eight. He surrendered six hits. Brayden Steves came on to pitch the seventh and saw Lincoln take an 8-4 lead on a three-run homer to dead center from Jayden Little and then a solo shot to center from Stuckenschneider. Steves did not get out of the seventh as he only registered one out. He gave up four runs, three earned on three hits and walked one.
• A wild bottom of the seventh saw the Eutectics score four times as they sent nine men to the plate. Nolan Harding doubled in a run to make it 9-5. Them with the bases loaded and two outs, Ethan Harrell sent a pop up into shallow left. That field had been trouble all day with the wind and sun and this one dropped in between three fielders to score a pair. Sebastian Villegas singled to left field to drive in Jackson Cavazos and tie the game at 8-8.
• Kooper Houvouras came on to toss the eighth and UHSP loaded the bases, Houvouras escaped the jam with a called strikeout to end the threat.
• Jackson Wininger was solid out of the Eutectics' pen as he ended the Lincoln seventh and then threw a scoreless eighth. But gave up three straight hits to begin the ninth as Mitchell drove in the go-ahead run to make it 9-8. Blakey then broke it open with a 3-run bomb to straight-away center for a 12-8 lead. Wininger (0-1) took the loss going 1.2IP, 5R, 5H, BB, 2K.
• Houvouras (1-0) ended up earning the win in relief going two shutout frames allowing just one hit, walking two and fanning three.
• Brandon Gibbs, Nolan Harding, Jacob Grim and Ethan Harrell all had two hits for UHSP. Harding drove in three while Harrell and Holden Campbell each drove in a pair.

UHSP 18, LINCOLN 1

• UHSP hung on a four-spot on the board in the first with RBI's from Jacob Grim, Jackson Hewitt and a two-run single from Deklan Riggs.
• The Eutectics chased Lincoln starter Brody Kleffner (1-1) in the second as Jacob Grim blasted a no-doubt three-run homer to left to make it 7-1. In an inning-and-a-third, Kleffner gave up seven runs on as many hits while walking two. Ryan Lepper came on and with the bases loaded hit Jackson Hewitt to make it 8-1.
• The Eutectics removed all doubt with eight runs on six hits in the third as they grabbed a 16-1 lead. Sebastian Villegas, Jackson Hewitt, Brandon Gibbs, Jacob Grim all had RBI's while Deklan Riggs had a two-run hit. It was 16-1 after three complete.
• Peyton Schaefer (1-0) was in command through his five innings of work as he picked up the win. He allowed just one run on just four hits while walking one and striking out six.
• The 18 runs scored by the Eutectics tie for the second most in a single game. It is the third time they have scored 18 with 22 being the all-time record. 18 hits are the second most, short of the record by just one.
• Jacob Grim was 4-for-4 with a homerun and five RBI's. The five RBI's are one short of tying the UHSP record for most in a single game. Deklan Riggs was 2-for-3 and drove in four.

NEXT UP:

The Eutectics (3-8) will continue the four-game weekend series against the Blue Tigers with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1:00p.