The Eureka Tornado baseball team experienced a week of extremes, highlighted by a dramatic comeback victory over West Elk, after a pair of losses to Southern Lyon County (SLC) to begin their 2026 season.
Against West Elk
Eureka rallied from a 1-9 first-inning deficit to defeat West Elk in a high-scoring game last Thursday, April 2. The Patriots extended their lead to 9-13 by the third, but Eureka eventually prevailed 18-13.
The Tornadoes changed the trajectory of the game in the top of the seventh, as they scored nine runs on five hits. Eureka took the lead 18-13 and held on to claim the victory. The biggest blow in the inning was a single by Haden Allen that drove in two.
Freshman Dylan Conard earned the win for the Tornadoes. The righty gave up six hits and one run over four and one-third innings, striking out five and walking one. Fellow freshamn Tate Scott led things off from the mound for Eureka. He surrendered nine hits and 12 runs (10 earned) over two and twothirds innings, striking out seven and walking five.
The Tornadoes tallied 18 hits: Scott 4, Tristan Milner and James Bauer 3, Brody Mitchell, Kaleb Hollis and Allen all with 2 and Conard, Cooper Roberson and Davian Damron all with 1. The team tallied 16 Runs Batted In (RBI) with Scott, Milner, Bauer and Allen all recording 3 RBIs, Mitchell and Damron each had 2 and Bauer, Conard and Roberson all having 1.
West Elk recorded 15 hits, 10 RBIs and 13 runs.
Eureka’s junior varsity team came up short in a back-and-forth battle, falling 9-10 to West Elk.
West Elk jumped out early with a three-run first inning, but Eureka responded in the second, tying the game. Eureka senior Owen Morris stole home to conclude the scoring for the Tornadoes.
Eureka continued to apply pressure in the third, taking a 6-5 lead behind a two-RBI single from Fisher Hobbs.
The lead didn’t hold, as West Elk answered in the fourth, reclaiming control at 8-9 with a mix of walks and heads-up baserunning.
Hobbs and Ashton Lawrence each drove in a run for Eureka. The Tornadoes were aggressive, stealing 20 bases in the game.
Against SLC
Eureka dropped two games on Monday, March 30, falling 0-16 and 8-23.
In the first game, Eureka managed just two hits, with Milner and Scott each recording one. Scott took the loss on the mound.
In the second game, Eureka showed more offense, scoring eight runs. Jean-Philippe Guillaume led the way with six RBIs, including a grand slam and a double. Hollis added a two-RBI double, while Milner and Guillaume each had two hits.
Up Next
The Tornadoes were scheduled to host Caney on Tuesday of this week before hosting Flinthills on Thursday, April 9.
