Eichelberger has big day as Kernels beat Beloit

CEDAR RAPIDS - A good son, Daniel Eichelberger, called his mom bright and early Sunday morning to tell her he loved her and wishing her Happy Mother's Day.

By late Sunday afternoon, he was on the phone to Mississippi again.

“Yeah, I'm calling them both,” he said of his parents, Roy and Maxine. “My mom and dad have helped me out a lot. Every summer, they got money to send me out to play summer league ball. By doing that, I got seen by scouts. So it all connects together. I'm here because of them.”

The Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder had real good news to share. Not only was he in the lineup for the first time this season, but he had a monster day as his club beat Beloit, 9-2, before 1,711 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“Ike,” as he's known to teammates, went 3-for-4, with a walk, two doubles, three runs scored and three RBIs in an attempt to avoid another trip on the Arizona shuttle. The outfielder came to town from Angels extended spring training for exactly four days in early April before being shipped right back.

He rejoined the Kernels last Thursday, with this his first game. Quite an impression.

“You don't think things like that are going to happen, but it is what it is,” Eichelberger said of his back-and-forth status. “I can't control that, so I've just got to play where they send me.”

Does he think Sunday's performance might keep him here awhile?

“I feel like it. I hope so,” he said. “Like I said, I can't control that. If I do go back, I know I'll be back here sometime.”

The Kernels (20-10) pounded out 13 hits and drew six walks, with the bottom of their order just plain lethal. Ricky Alvarez and Jesus Campos joined Eichelberger in the three-hit club.

Not that they needed a whole lot of offense considering starter Max Russell's seven strong innings.

Cedar Rapids won for the 15th time in 19 games and has the second-best record in the

Midwest League.