Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 14)—The McKendree University baseball team was defeated in both ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader on Sunday at the University of Indianapolis. The Bearcats squandered an early in a 6-4 game one loss before the host Greyhounds rolled to a 5-0 win in the nightcap.
 
McKendree, which swept Indianapolis on Saturday by scores of 7-3 and 7-5, earned a split of its four-game weekend series with the Greyhounds. The Bearcats are now 16-14 overall and 11-11 in the GLVC. McKendree will step out of conference to begin a seven-game homestand Tuesday against Missouri Baptist University. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
 
In the opener, McKendree built a 4-1 lead through 2 ½ innings of play. The Bearcats scored a run in the top of the first inning to grab a 1-0 lead. Junior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) (Millstadt, Ill./Belleville West) was hit by the first pitch of the contest, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) (Bloomington, Ill./Normal) and reached third after a bloop single by sophomore infielder Jeff Tolliver (Salem, IL/Salem) (Salem, Ill./Salem). Sophomore infielder Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) stepped up next and lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Kossina with the first run of the game.
 
After Indianapolis (17-16, 9-13 GLVC) manufactured a run in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1, McKendree used the long ball to build a 4-1 advantage in the top of the third inning. After the first two batters were retired in the frame, Tolliver drilled a solo home run to left-center field to push McKendree out in front, 2-1. After Kline was hit by a pitch, senior first baseman Rob Beatty (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) (Millstadt, Ill./Belleville West) stepped up and blasted a two-run home run down the left-field line to give McKendree a three-run cushion.
 
The lead was short-lived as Indianapolis rallied for two runs in the bottom of the third inning and two more in the fourth to grab a 5-4 advantage. The Greyhounds then tacked on an insurance run in the fifth inning to build a 6-4 lead. McKendree loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning with one out, but Indianapolis closer Matt Pate entered the game and retired the final two hitters in the inning to preserve the two-run lead. Pate then retired the Bearcats in order in the seventh inning to nail down his third save of the year.
 
Junior right-hander Ben Dallesasse (DeKalb, IL/DeKalb) (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) was nicked for the loss on the mound for McKendree. Dallesasse scattered eight hits over five innings. He allowed four earned runs and struck out one batter.
 
Indianapolis right-hander Matthew Kaplanis went the distance to shut down the McKendree batters in the nightcap. Kaplanis allowed nine hits and struck out one in the 112-pitch outing.
 
The contest was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Indianapolis struck for a pair of two-out runs to take a 2-0 lead. The Greyhounds added two unearned runs in the seventh inning and another tally in the eighth to pull away late.
 
Kossina, Beatty, sophomore infielder Pierce Borah (Mt. Vernon, IL/Mt. Vernon) (Mt. Vernon, Ill./Mt. Vernon) and junior catcher Kolton King (Marion, IL/Marion) (Marion, Ill./Marion) each had two hits in game two for McKendree. Freshman right-hander Travis Blumhorst (Venedy, IL/Okawville) (Venedy, Ill./Okawville) allowed two runs and five hits over 3 2/3 innings in taking the loss for the Bearcats.