Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 13)—The McKendree University baseball team won both ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday at the University of Indianapolis. The Bearcats won the opener 7-3 before holding off a late rally to capture a 7-5 triumph in game two.
 
The sweep gives McKendree an overall record of 16-12. The Bearcats are now 11-9 in the GLVC East Division. McKendree and Indianapolis will wrap up their four-game weekend series with another twinbill Sunday at Greyhound Park. First pitch is set for noon ET (11 a.m. CT).
 
A five-run outburst in one inning of each contest keyed the sweep for McKendree on Saturday. The Bearcats reeled off five runs in the fifth inning of game one before using a five-run fourth inning on its way to the win in the nightcap.
 
Junior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) paced the offensive attack for McKendree with five hits on the day, including a three-hit performance in game one. Kossina also scored twice and had a two-run single in the five-run fourth inning of game two. Sophomore infielder Jeff Tolliver (Salem, IL/Salem) contributed four hits -- two in each victory -- while senior outfielder Pat Thole (Carlyle, IL/Breese Central) and sophomore outfielder Bryce Harre (Nashville, IL/Nashville) each connected for three hits in the two victories. Thole blasted a two-run home run in the nightcap.
 
Freshmen Sam Lidisky (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) and Matt Sax (Chicago, IL/Jones Prep) picked up the mound victories for McKendree at Indianapolis. Lidisky improved to 5-0 overall by scattering seven hits over seven innings in the opener. Lidisky walked three and struck out six batters to win for the fourth time in conference play. Sax gave up five hits and one unearned run over five innings of game two. Sax walked one and fanned one as he moved to 3-1 on the season.
 
Indianapolis (15-16, 7-13 GLVC) took a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning of game one before McKendree sent 11 batters to the plate in the fifth inning to account for its first five-run frame of the day. Thole started the inning with a single to center field before sophomore infielder Blake Abbott (Peoria, IL/Dunlap) reached on an error. Two batters later, Kossina singled to load the bases before a wild pitch brought home Abbott to tie the contest at 1-1.
 
Sophomore outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) then delivered a two-run single to give McKendree its first lead of the day at 3-1. The Bearcats loaded the bases again before senior first baseman Rob Beatty (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) belted a two-run double down the left field line to cap the inning, giving McKendree a 5-1 lead.
 
The Bearcats stretched the margin to 7-1 in the eighth inning thanks to a two-run single by Tolliver. The host Greyhounds scratched out single runs in each of its last two at-bats, but junior right-hander Jon Trampe (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) was able to shut the door on Indianapolis to grab the game one victory.
 
McKendree wasted little time in taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning in game two. Rutledge drew a one-out walk and Tolliver followed with a single before Beatty collected his second two-run double of the day, a deep drive off the right-field fence. The Greyhounds answered with a run in the bottom of the first before the Bearcats put together another five-run uprising against Indianapolis.
 
This time, McKendree sent 10 batters to the plate during its five-run four-inning outburst. Sophomore outfielder Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) led off the frame with a single to left field. Two batters later, Thole drilled a 1-0 pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run home run, extending the Bearcats' lead to 4-1.
 
The Bearcats loaded the bases later in the inning when Kossina ripped a two-run single to left field to push the McKendree advantage to 6-1. Tolliver capped the inning with an RBI infield single that stretched the lead to 7-1.
 
Indianapolis rallied in the sixth inning, plating four runs to pull within 7-5. The Greyhounds had the tying runs on base with one out, but a line drive to third base was speared by Kline, who quickly threw to first base to nab the runner retreating to the bag for a double play. McKendree turned four double plays in the nightcap.
 
Freshman left-hander Josh Tonozzi (Mark, IL/Putnam County) retired the final three Indianapolis batters to register his second save of the year.