Offense hands Calmes early cushion as Eutectics roll through Pioneers

ALTON, IL – Tristan Calmes gutted through five innings and the top half of the Eutectics' order provided the pop as UHSP decimated Crowley's Ridge, 14-4 in eight innings on Friday night to open their AMC weekend series. Calmes fought through control issues and was at 100 pitches after five innings, but found a way to skirt trouble and held the conference's top-hitting club at bay as the Eutectics extended their lead to a game and a half over the Pioneers in the AMC standings.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

UHSP 14, CROWLEY'S RIDGE 4 (8 INNINGS)

• Calmes allowed two runs in the first inning, but only on one hit as the Pioneers left the bases loaded after the righthander threw 32 pitches in the frame.
• The Eutectics exploded for eight in the second as they batted around to give Calmes plenty of run support. Joe Celeste had a big two-run single up the middle to put the Eutectics on top 3-2. The second time through the lineup, Brandon Gibbs singled in a run to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Nolan Harding singled in a run and Holden Campbell plated two with a base hit as UHSP scored eight on five hits along with a CRC error. Crowley's Ridge has the second-worst defense in the AMC and committed six errors in the game.
• Calmes escaped trouble in the second as he again stranded the bases loaded. He struggled with command and an elevated pitch count, as he managed just seven first-pitch strikes through the first 17 batters.
• UHSP added a pair in the sixth as Harding singled in Holden Campbell with another run scoring on an error.
• The Pioneers got run in the seventh on a fielder's choice and a wild pitch to cut the deficit back to six at 10-4.
• In the eighth, UHSP scored on an error and got two runs on two wild pitches. It was 13-4 and Crowley's Ridge intentionally loaded the bases with two outs. With all three outfielders brought to the lip of the infield dirt, Brandon Gibbs served an easy single to medium-deep left to end the contest at 14-4.
• Calmes got the win to improve to 3-4 on the year. He walked five, hit three and struck out four. Brennon Burch (3-6) fought command issues as well as he labored through five innings, matched Calmes with exactly 100 pitches and allowed ten runs, nine earned on eight hits, fanning and walking four while hitting two.
• The top five in the UHSP lineup went a combined 12-for-22. As a team, the Eutectics banged out 13 hits, 12 of which were singles. The Pioneers entered the game leading the AMC in batting average and runs scored but managed just three hits on the game.
• Brandon Gibbs and Holden Campbell each stole three bases as the Eutectics stole nine total in the game. That is the third-most stolen bases in a single game in UHSP history. They nearly matched a program record with 11, but instead of a being credited with an additional double-steal, the lead runner was instead caught stealing being thrown out at third.
• Gibbs, Campbell, Harding and Celeste each drove in a pair.

NEXT UP:

Crowley's Ridge (16-17-1, 3-6-1 AMC) and the Eutectics (12-15, 5-5 AMC) wrap up their three-game AMC series with a doubleheader on Saturday that starts at 1:00p. Following that, UHSP will remain at home for a single non-conference affair on Tuesday against Principia (2-14, 0-8 SLIAC) at 6:00p.