Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 2)—The McKendree University baseball team lost both ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader on Tuesday at Bellarmine University. The Bearcats dropped an 8-2 decision in the opener before the host Knights rolled to a 9-2 victory in game two.
 
McKendree is now 11-11 on the season and sits at 6-8 in the GLVC East Division. The Bearcats will open a four-game GLVC series Saturday with a doubleheader against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. First pitch is set for noon at Hypes Field.
 
Sophomore outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) had three hits on the day for McKendree, including a pair of safeties in the nightcap. Senior first baseman Rob Beatty (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) scored both Bearcat runs in the opener and drove one a run in game two. Junior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) and sophomore infielder Jeff Tolliver (Salem, IL/Salem) each added two hits in the doubleheader for McKendree.
 
Bellarmine (14-9, 9-3 GLVC) built a 3-0 lead in the first game with two runs in the first inning and another tally in the fourth. McKendree broke through with a run in the fifth inning to pull within 3-1. Beatty led off the frame with a single and moved to second base on a balk. Two batters later junior catcher Tyler Collins (Marietta, GA/Walker) singled to center, moving Beatty to third base. Beatty scored when freshman outfielder Mason Shirley (Washburn, IL/Roanoke-Benson) bounced into a fielder's choice.
 
The host Knights answered with two runs in the sixth inning to extend their margin to 5-1 when McKendree plated its final run of the contest in the seventh inning when Beatty drew a leadoff walk and eventually came around to score on a wild pitch. Bellarmine put the game out of reach with a three-run outburst in the eighth inning.
 
 Junior right-hander Ben Dallesasse (DeKalb, IL/DeKalb) was nicked for the game one loss. He scattered nine hits over 5 2/3 innings, giving up five earned runs with three walks and four strikeouts.
 
In the nightcap, McKendree grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Bearcats loaded the bases with nobody out thanks to a walk to Kossina followed by consecutive singles from Rutledge and sophomore infielder Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North). Two batters later Beatty lifted a sacrifice fly to score Kossina with the first run of the contest.
 
Bellarmine scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to grab the lead for good at 4-1. McKendree trimmed the deficit to 4-2 with another run in the third inning. Once again, the Bearcats loaded the bases with no outs as Rutledge reached on an error, Kline walked and Tolliver singled to center field. Rutledge came in to score when Beatty bounced into a double play. The Knights then pulled away in the later stages of play with two runs in the fourth inning, a single run in the fifth and two more tallies in the sixth inning.
 
Freshman right-hander Travis Blumhorst (Venedy, IL/Okawville) allowed two earned runs on four hits in the first inning to take the mound loss for McKendree.