With the baseball season coming to an end, Head Coach Noah Suarez discusses his favorite memories, notable games, and challenges they overcame to stay together and secure their wins.
The Red Devils are led by Suarez, who was hired by Eureka College in December 2023. Suarez joined the Eureka College family after his time as a Head Coach at Philander Smith University in Little Rock, Arkansas. This is where Suarez relaunched the baseball program after it had been shut down for 45 years. In 2022, Suarez would sign 21 players in a 2 week span, which led to a third place finish in the NAIA’s Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. Not only did they accomplish a top standing, but under his supervision the program set 3 school records. The record first being most home runs in a single game with 3, second being most no-hitters in a season with 2, and third being most stolen bases in a single game with a staggering 18.
Suarez had a great recruiting off season, and as much as that is great for the future of Eureka College Baseball, it can have some difficulties in beginning seasons as a young team will have much to learn.
“We are extremely young this year where last year we were extremely old. So we have to dive way more in depth with the basics of College Baseball,” Suarez said.
Growing a young team while challenging the experienced players can be a hard balance, but the coaching staff worked all season with the players to form a cohesive group and this determination has been showcased all season long.
The Red Devils had a slow start to the season losing in double headers to Rockford University and Knox College, the team did not hang their head as they battled in 2 great wins sweeping Maranatha Baptist at home. Not only did the Red Devil offense swing for the fences as they had a combined 31 points in the double header, but freshman pitcher Ethan McDonald threw a complete-game no-hitter striking out 16 batters. This was not a one man show, as freshman catcher Andrew Sprinkle batted in 3 runs when he hit a double. Both junior infielder Ben Perrine and senior infielder Ethan Hedge added 3 RBIs. Freshman outfielder Conor Fitzpatrick went 2-for-3 with a triple, 4 RBIs, and 4 runs scored. This was a very notable game as not only was their first sweep of the season, but it showed the depth of the team and set a standard for the rest of their season.
A fan favorite game from this season is the victory against Greenville on April 8th. The Red Devils had to battle hard after losing the first game 15-5 on their home diamond. Their grit and determination was unquestionable the second game as they were tied in the final frame. Freshman infielder Grant Hackney led off with a double and soon advanced to third, giving an opportunity for the next batter to win the game. Freshman outfielder Jon Leon Guerrero stepped up to the moment and delivered a walk-off single into center field, giving Eureka the win with a score of 5-4. Moments like these are what Coach Suarez finds most satisfying.
“Some of my favorite memories are just seeing all these new guys come in and fit right in with our returners. Seeing our guys thrive on and off the field.”
Another standout performance by the Red Devils was their sweep against Westminster, the third ranked team in the SLIAC. In this competition, Eureka had 21 runs off of 17 hits, showcasing their offensive prowess. David Hidden was a key performer as he went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, 2 walks, and one RBI. The Red Devils ran away with the win with a staggering score of 21 to 2. This victory was record setting as it is the largest win that Eureka College has ever had against Westminster.
Game 2 of this doubleheader was a nail biter, although it was close. Eureka ended the game with a 1 point win with a score of 9-8. Sophomore outfielder and pitcher Noah Company showcased his skills with 2 home runs and 3 RBI’s. Fitzpatrick did a little bit of everything offensively as he scored once, was hit by a pitch, drew a walk, and had 2 RBI’s. The Red Devils had the odds against them as they played the 3 seed on the road, but they came together and pulled through. This type of togetherness and elite performance by both the returners and newcomers is what Coach Suarez loves about the team.
“The upperclassmen helped them succeed in the college setting. If my younger guys are struggling, I know my older guys will swoop in and help them with anything.”
This season has shown much promise as the upperclassmen showed the underclassmen the ropes. There is much potential with this group and they plan to continue to build for years to come.
