BOX SCORE

(LEBANON, Ill., April 18)—The McKendree University baseball team used a pair of big innings to grab a 9-6 home victory Wednesday against Harris-Stowe State University.
 
The Bearcats grabbed the lead for good thanks to a six-run second inning, then added three more runs in the third inning on their way to victory. McKendree improves to 12-26 overall and will have six days off before returning to action Tuesday at William Woods University. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
 
Senior infielder Ronnie Calvird (Farmington, MO/Park Hills Central) (Farmington, Mo./Park Hills Central) paced a 16-hit attack for McKendree with four hits while driving in a pair of runs. Freshman infielder Jeffrey Tolliver (Salem, Ill./Salem) chipped in with three hits – including two doubles – and two runs scored. Sophomore outfielder Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) (Millstadt, Ill./Belleville West), freshman outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) (Bloomington, Ill./Normal) and freshman infielder Blake Abbott (Peoria, IL/Dunlap) (Peoria, Ill./Dunlap) each had two hits in the win for the Bearcats, with Kossina driving in three runs.
 
Sophomore right-hander Ben Dallesasse (DeKalb, IL/DeKalb) (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) pushed his record to 4-4 on the season by scattering six hits over seven innings of work on the mound for McKendree. Dallesasse walked three and struck out five while allowing just two earned runs. The four wins for Dallesasse leads the Bearcats' staff.
 
Harris-Stowe (25-25) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning before McKendree sent 11 batters to the plate during its six-run second inning outburst. Senior Brandon Gargus (Manchester, MO/Parkway South) (Manchester, Mo./Parkway South) doubled with one out, and Tolliver followed with an RBI double to tie the score at 1-1. The Bearcats eventually loaded the bases with two outs before Kossina delivered a two-run single to center field to push McKendree in front by a 3-1 tally.
 
Calvird followed with a run-scoring single before Kossina scored on a wild pitch. Freshman infielder Jacob Kline (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) wrapped up the big inning for McKendree with an RBI double to bring home Calvird and give the Bearcats a 6-1 advantage.
 
In the third inning, Tolliver led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior catcher Tom Collins (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) (Collinsville, Ill./Metro East Lutheran) and reached third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Snider drilled a double to deep center field to bring home Tolliver with the first run of the inning. Kossina plated Snider with an RBI single, and Calvird brought Kossina home with an RBI double to close out the Bearcats' scoring.
 
The Hornets tried to rally in the later innings, scoring twice in the eighth and ninth innings and bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning. But senior Kraig Interial (Plainfield, IL/Meridian) (Plainfield, Ill./Meridian) struck out Harris-Stowe's Darius Howard to preserve the victory for the Bearcats.