(LEBANON, Ill., April 3)—Junior catcher Joe Dickman (Alhambra, Ill./Highland) (Alhambra, Ill./Highland) wielded a big bat in leading the McKendree University baseball team to a doubleheader sweep at home Friday against Harris-Stowe State University. The Bearcats broke open a close game to win the opener 9-1 before rolling to an 11-1 victory in game two.
Dickman had six hits on the day, with three in each contest. He broke a 0-0 tie with a fifth-inning grand slam in game one, then added a three-run shot in the sixth inning to finish with seven runs batted in. Dickman collected three more hits in the nightcap, giving him six for the day. Thanks to his outburst on Friday, Dickman pushed his team-leading home run total to eight.
The victories give McKendree an overall record of 18-13-1, while the Bearcats improved to 4-1-1 in American Midwest Conference play. McKendree and Harris-Stowe will close out their four-game AMC series with a doubleheader Saturday at Hypes Field in Lebanon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Senior right-hander Cale Johnson (Greenville, Ill./Greenville) (Greenville, Ill./Greenville) pitched 4 2/3 innings in game one before allowing his first hit of the contest. He finished by tossing a complete-game four-hitter for his third victory of the season. Johnson walked four batters and struck out four.
Game one was scoreless heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior infielder Dusty Schallenberg (New Douglas, Ill./Highland) (New Douglas, Ill./Highland) led off with a double, and advanced to third on a single to left field by junior infielder Kory Peppenhorst (Carlyle, Ill./Carlyle) (Carlyle, Ill./Carlyle). An infield single by senior outfielder Calvin O'Rear (DuBois, Ill./Nashville) (DuBois, Ill./Nashville) loaded the bases, and Dickman followed with his grand slam, an opposite-field home run to right field.
Harris-Stowe (17-14, 1-5 AMC) countered with a run in the top of the sixth to pull within 4-1, but the Bearcats erupted for five more runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull away. Peppenhorst delivered a two-run double to push the McKendree lead to 6-1. O'Rear was hit by a pitch ahead of Dickman's second home run of the game, a three-run shot to center field.
Peppenhorst also had three hits in game one, while Schallenberg, junior infielder Adam Davinroy (Shiloh, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Shiloh, Ill./Althoff Catholic) and junior outfielder Ryan Meyer (Breese, Ill./Breese Central) (Breese, Ill./Breese Central) each had a pair of safeties.
McKendree jumped in front early in game two, scoring five runs in the first inning to take a 5-0 lead. Davinroy lifted a solo home run to right field leading off the inning. The next two batters were retired before the Bearcats strung together six consecutive singles to plate the final four runs of the frame. Meyer and junior infielder Warren Militello (Flora, Ill./Flora) each had run-scoring singles before junior outfielder Shane McBride (Troy, Ill./Triad) (Troy, Ill./Triad) collected a two-run single to close out the scoring in the inning.
The Hornets scratched out a run in the second inning to pull within 5-1 before the Bearcats closed out the game with six runs in the fifth inning. Sophomore outfielder Tyler Muren (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) scored the first run off the inning on a wild pitch before Schallenberg posted an RBI single to give McKendree an 7-1 lead.
O'Rear blasted a three-run home run to right field to extend the margin to 10-1. After a pitching change, McKendree loaded the bases and senior catcher Craig Session (Centralia, Ill./Centralia) (Centralia, Ill./Centralia) forced home the final run with a walk.
Dickman and McBride each had three hits in the nightcap, while Schallenberg, O'Rear, Meyer and Session each recorded two hits. The Bearcats had 30 hits in the two games.
Sophomore left-hander Alex Young (Odin, IL/Odin) (Odin, Ill./Odin) scattered six hits over five innings to pick up the victory on the mound for McKendree. Young walked one batter and fanned two to improve to 3-2 on the year.
-McK-
