BOX SCORES -- GAME 1 | GAME 2

(ARKADELPHIA, Ark., March 13)—The McKendree University baseball team was defeated twice on Tuesday in doubleheader action at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark. The Bearcats dropped an 18-3 decision in the opener before being edged by the host Tigers in the nightcap, 6-3.
 
McKendree will take a 4-14 overall record to Harding University in Searcy, Ark., for a nine-inning contest. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. The Bison are currently ranked No. 17 in NCAA Division II.
 
Senior outfielder Brandyn Snider (Fielden, IL/Jersey Community) (Fielden, Ill./Jersey Community) had a productive day against Ouachita Baptist, collecting five hits including three in game one. Sophomore outfielder Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) (Millstadt, Ill./Belleville West) had three hits in the twinbill and extended his hit streak to five games for the Bearcats.
 
The Bearcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the opener. Freshman outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) (Bloomington, Ill./Normal) reached on a one-out single, and Snider drove the next pitch into the left-center field gap for a double. Rutledge advanced to third on the double and scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman infielder Jeffrey Tolliver (Salem, Ill./Salem).
 
Ouachita Baptist (14-11) answered with five runs on just one hit in the bottom of the first inning, and never looked back in the contest. The Tigers plated six runs in the third inning to push the margin to 11-1 before McKendree scored a run in the fourth inning to pull within 11-2. Tolliver led off the frame with a walk and came around to score thanks to an RBI single by junior first baseman Rob Beatty (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) (Millstadt, Ill./Belleville West).
 
The Tigers put the game out of reach with six more runs in the fifth inning and another in the sixth to build an 18-2 advantage. McKendree scored the final run of the game in the seventh inning. The Bearcats loaded the bases, and junior catcher Tom Collins (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) (Collinsville, Ill./Metro East Lutheran) produced an RBI infield single to score Rutledge, who walked earlier in the frame.
 
Freshman right-hander Vincent Kiefer (Lenzburg, Ill./New Athens) was charged with the loss on the mound for McKendree. Kiefer pitched into the third inning, giving up eight runs on two hits with five walks. In the opener, three Bearcat hurlers combined to walk 11 Ouachita Baptist hitters.
 
After the Tigers scratched out single runs in the second and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead in the nightcap, McKendree exploded for three runs in the top of the fifth inning to grab a 3-2 advantage. Freshman infielder Pierce Borah (Mt. Vernon, IL/Mt. Vernon) (Mt. Vernon, Ill./Mt. Vernon) led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Sophomore catcher Kolton King (Marion, IL/Marion) (Marion, Ill./Marion) delivered single to center field, moving Borah to third base. Freshman infielder Dalton Woolard (West Frankfort, IL/Frankfort) (West Frankfort, Ill./Frankfort Community) stepped up next and produced an RBI infield single to plate Borah with the first run of the inning.
 
Kossina brought King home with an RBI groundout to knot the contest at 2-2, and Rutledge put the Bearcats in front with another RBI groundout to bring home Woolard with the go-ahead run.
 
But Ouachita Baptist responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score, then scored three times in the sixth inning to complete the sweep.
 
Sophomore right-hander Jon Trampe (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) (Collinsville, Ill./Metro East Lutheran) pitched well in his first start of the season for McKendree. In 5 2/3 innings of work, Trampe scattered seven hits with five earned runs. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.