(LEBANON, Ill., April 13)—The McKendree University baseball team lost both ends of a non-conference doubleheader Sunday at home against Culver-Stockton College. The Bearcats were defeated by scores of 3-1 and 2-0.

Four Culver-Stockton pitchers kept the McKendree offense in check in the twinbill. The Bearcats collected just eight hits in the two games against the Wildcats. McKendree slips to 17-18 on the year and will step out of conference again on Wednesday when it hosts Brescia University. The doubleheader is slated to begin at 1 p.m.

In both games on Sunday, Culver-Stockton scored two runs in the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie and grab the lead for good. McKendree put together scoring threats late in each contest, but the Wildcats were able to hold on for the victories.

In game one, McKendree junior Joey Ullery (Mt. Vernon, Ill./Webber Township) (Mt. Vernon, Ill./Webber Township) and Culver-Stockton's Damien Gatti each carried a shutout into the fifth inning. The Wildcats struck first on a two-run home run by Raul Landeros with one out in the frame. The Bearcats cut the margin to 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Junior outfielder Ross Willman (Greenville, Ill./Greenville) (Greenville, Ill./Greenville) led off with a walk and moved to third on a double by sophomore infielder Adam Davinroy (Shiloh, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Shiloh, Ill./Althoff Catholic).

After a Culver-Stockton pitching change, junior infielder Dusty Schallenberg (New Douglas, Ill./Highland) (New Douglas, Ill./Highland) walked to load the bases. Two batters later, junior catcher Craig Session (Centralia, Ill./Centralia) (Centralia, Ill./Centralia) drew another walk to force home Willman and cut the Bearcats' deficit in half. However, Culver-Stockton (23-8) got the final two outs of the inning to strand the tying run at third base.

The Bearcats had five hits in game one, and three of them went for extra bases. Davinroy, senior outfielder Anthony Clervi (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) and senior outfielder Brandon Melliere (Red Bud, Ill./Red Bud) (Red Bud, Ill./Red Bud) each had a double for McKendree.

Ullery allowed five hits over six innings to pick up the loss on the mound. Ullery walked three and struck out two batters.

Game two played out just like the opener as McKendree freshman Dakota Schutt (Waterloo, IL/Gibault) (Waterloo, Ill./Gibault) and Culver-Stockton's Thomas Coble locked up in a pitcher's duel. The contest was scoreless again until the fifth inning, when the Wildcats' Kurt Kessler drilled a two-run single to right field. That proved to be the only scoring of the game as the Bearcats' stranded the tying run at first base in the seventh inning.

Schutt gave up five hits in five innings of work with one walk and five strikeouts. McKendree had just three hits in the contest, including a double off the right-field fence by senior infielder Todd Harpstrite (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin) (Trenton, Ill./Wesclin).

-McK-