Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 (SPRINGFIELD, Mo., March 22)—The McKendree University baseball team was defeated in both ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday at Drury University. The Bearcats led early before the Panthers rallied to grab a 7-3 win in the opener before Drury rolled to a 7-0 victory in the nightcap.
The two losses send McKendree to 5-7 overall and 1-5 in the GLVC. The two teams are slated to wrap up their four-game weekend series with another twinbill Sunday at Meador Park in Springfield, Mo. First pitch is set for noon.
Senior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) and junior third baseman Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) each had three hits on the day for McKendree, while senior outfielder Steven Todoschuk (Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada/Saltfleet) added two hits and a pair of RBI in game one.
McKendree grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first inning of the opener. Junior outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) led off the contest with a single down the left-field line. Rutledge moved to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Kossina, reached third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Todoschuk.
Drury responded with two runs in the second inning and three more in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. The Bearcats scratched out a run in the sixth inning to pull within 5-2. Kossina led off with a walk, moved to second base on a passed ball and took third on a balk. Todoschuk then delivered his second RBI single of the contest to plate Kossina.
The Panthers added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings before McKendree registered its final tally in the ninth inning. With one out, freshman outfielder Grant Anderson (Mackinaw, IL/Deer Creek-Mackinaw) and freshman infielder Tyson Boehne (Carlyle, IL/Carlyle) posted back-to-back singles. Stepping in as a pinch-hitter, junior Jason Hobson (Griggsville, IL/Griggsville-Perry) collected a single to right field to score Anderson with the final run of the contest. Todoschuk, Kline and Boehne each had two hits in game one for the Bearcats.
Sophomore left-hander Sam Lidisky (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) scattered 10 hits over six innings with five earned runs, three walks and two strikeouts in taking the loss for McKendree.
Drury pitcher Will Landsheft tossed a four-hitter in the nightcap against McKendree. Landsheft allowed four singles in the contest with a walk and six strikeouts to notch the complete-game victory. Kossina had two of McKendree's four hits off Landsheft.
The Panthers produced all of their offense in the first three innings, scoring four runs in the first inning, one in the second and two more in the third.
Freshman Brad Henry (Godfrey, IL/Alton) allowed eight hits and six earned runs in three innings as he was charged with the game two loss for the Bearcats.
