(LEBANON, Ill., April 20)—The McKendree College baseball team rode a pair of complete-game efforts from its pitching staff to post a doubleheader sweep Friday at home against Harris-Stowe State University. The Bearcats scratched out a pair of runs for a 2-0 victory in the opener before rallying to win game two, 5-3.

 

The wins push McKendree back to the .500 mark both overall and in the American Midwest Conference. The Bearcats are now 20-20-1 overall and 7-7 in AMC play. McKendree currently sits tied for third with Harris-Stowe in the league standings, and both teams will meet for another AMC twinbill Saturday 1 p.m. at Hypes Field.

 

Junior left-hander Tyler Schwierjohn (Carlyle, Ill./Carlyle) (Carlyle, Ill./Carlyle) allowed just five hits in picking up his second shutout win of the season. Schwierjohn walked one batter and struck out four to improve to 4-3 on the season. Senior Ryan Meyler (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) was just as effective in the second game. Meyler gave up just three hits and struck out seven as he also pushed his season record to 4-3. Meyler did not give up an earned run in the contest.

 

Game one was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. Sophomore infielder Thomas Rose (Highland, Ill./Highland) (Highland, Ill./Highland) led off the frame with a single. Freshman Mark Daniels (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) came on as a pinch-runner, and he moved to second when freshman infielder Adam Davinroy (Shiloh, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Swansea, Ill./Althoff Catholic) reached on a bunt single.

 

Sophomore infielder Dusty Schallenberg (New Douglas, Ill./Highland) (New Douglas, Ill./Highland) advanced the runners with a bunt single before Daniels scored on a balk to give McKendree a 1-0 lead. Senior Kevin Wilkins (Kinmundy, Ill./South Central) (Kinmundy, Ill./South Central) then delivered a sacrifice fly to score Davinroy with the final run of the contest.

 

Harris-Stowe (19-20, 7-7 AMC) jumped in front in the first inning of game two with three unearned runs off Meyler. The Bearcats then answered with four runs in the second inning to take the lead for good. McKendree loaded the bases before Schallenberg stepped up and belted a two-run double to right field that cut the deficit to 3-2.

 

Two batters later, junior infielder Todd Harpstrite (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) tied the game with an RBI groundout, and junior outfielder Brandon Melliere (Red Bud, Ill./Red Bud) (Red Bud, Ill./Red Bud) followed with a run-scoring single to give the Bearcats a 4-3 advantage.

 

McKendree added an insurance run in the fifth inning when senior outfielder Kenny Weston (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) singled down the left-field line, and sophomore infielder Craig Session (Centralia, Ill./Centralia) (Centralia, Ill./Centralia) followed with an RBI double to left-center field. Session finished with two hits in the game.