(LEBANON, Ill., April 23)—The McKendree University baseball team closed out the American Midwest Conference portion of its 2011 schedule by splitting a doubleheader Saturday at home against Hannibal-LaGrange University. The Bearcats dropped the opener 3-0 before holding on for a 2-1 victory in game two.
The split gives McKendree an overall record of 22-28, while the Bearcats close their final season in the AMC with a conference record of 12-12. McKendree is in the midst of its transition to NCAA Division II membership and will be leaving the AMC after the 2010-11 academic year. The Bearcats will be playing in next week's AMC Tournament, which begins on Friday at Missouri Baptist University. Pairings will be announced early next week after the conclusion of conference regular-season play.
Pitching ruled the day on Saturday as McKendree and Hannibal-LaGrange combined to score six runs on the day. The Bearcats' Josh Rathmann (Germantown, IL/Breese Central) (Germantown, Ill./Breese Central) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in collecting the game two victory. Rathmann allowed three hits over 5 2/3 innings with one walk and a strikeout for his fourth victory of the year.
The Trojans' Zach Bedsworth shut down McKendree in the opener, tossing a complete-game four-hitter with five strikeouts.
Game one was a scoreless affair until the sixth inning, when Hannibal-LaGrange (24-27, 9-15 AMC) posted the only runs of the contest. All three runs scored with two outs, with Levi Graham, Marc Luttrell and Justin Miller recording consecutive RBI singles. Bedsworth then retired the final six McKendree hitters to record the victory.
Freshman right-hander Cole Wille (Maryville, IL/Collinsville) (Maryville, Ill./Collinsville) pitched well despite taking the loss on the mound for McKendree. Wille allowed just four hits over 5 2/3 innings with two walks and six strikeouts.
McKendree is slated to close out its 2011 regular season Tuesday with a non-conference game at Lindenwood University. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
In game two, senior outfielder Tyler Muren (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) gave McKendree its first lead of the day on a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. The Bearcats manufactured another run in the fourth inning for a 2-0 lead. Senior first baseman Dan Corwin (St. Louis, MO/DeSmet) (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet) led off with a single. Junior infielder Jimmy Smith (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) came on to run for Corwin and promptly stole second base. Smith came around to score on consecutive balk calls to give McKendree in front by two runs.
That insurance run in the fourth inning proved to be important as the Trojans rallied with a run in the top of the sixth inning to pull within 2-1. Senior right-hander Eric Gentz (New Baden, IL/Wesclin) (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) relieved Rathmann with two outs in the sixth inning and wiggled out of a jam to end the frame.
Senior right-hander Dakota Schutt (Waterloo, IL/Gibault) (Waterloo, Ill./Gibault) came on to pick up his first save of the year by inducing three groundouts in the seventh inning to seal the victory.
