JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Eureka senior catcher Alex Hess (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S./Illinois Central) went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, but MacMurray starting pitcher David Johnson allowed only one run through 5.0 innings to lift the Highlanders to a 6-2 victory over the Red Devils at Lenz Field in Jacksonville, Ill.

MacMurray started the bottom of the first inning with three consecutive singles against Eureka freshman starter Bryan Meyer (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap H.S.) before Kelsey Mankins drove home the first run of the game on an RBI groundout to help the Highlanders open a 1-0 lead.

The Red Devils answered in the top half of the fourth inning.  Senior first baseman Tim Cashdollar (Morton, Ill./Morton H.S.) opened the frame with a single and promptly scored on a run-scoring double from Hess to force a 1-1 tie.  The hosts answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning and would never trail again.  Zach Arnett and Randy Weber drove in runs during the frame.

After the Highlanders built a 6-1 lead, Eureka pushed across its second run of the afternoon in the eighth inning.  Junior Mike Daxenbichler (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone H.S.) drove home Hess on an RBI groundout after Hess led off the inning with a single for his second hit of the afternoon.

Second-year Eureka head coach Craig Gerdes used all 21 players during the contest, six of which tossed at least 0.2 innings on the mound.  Freshman Kyle Kiesewetter (Metamora, Ill./Metamora H.S.), one of four Red Devils making their debut in the starting lineup, collected his first career hit to lead off the fifth inning.  Freshman Stephen Davis (Mackinaw, Ill./Dee-Mack H.S.) struck out two Highlanders in a perfect inning of relief.

Monday's game marked the season-opener for the Red Devils and will not count toward the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings.  Eureka will continue its spring break trip Tuesday, visiting NAIA-affiliated Berea for a 1 p.m. doubleheader in Berea, Ky.