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Box Score 2 (SPRINGFIELD, Mo., March 23)—The McKendree University baseball team was swept by host Drury University on Sunday in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The Panthers captured an 8-2 win in game one before pulling away late in the nightcap, 10-1.
The Bearcats fall to 5-9 overall with the doubleheader loss. McKendree, now 1-7 in GLVC play, will step out of conference to host Maryville University Tuesday at Hypes Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
Drury used one big inning in each contest to help close out a four-game weekend sweep of McKendree. Each time, the Panthers held a 2-1 lead prior to their large scoring outburst in each game. Drury scored five times in the fourth inning to take control in game one before an eight-run uprising in the eighth inning of the nightcap sealed the victory in game two.
After Drury grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one, McKendree posted a run in the third inning to cut the Panthers' lead in half. Freshman infielder Tyson Boehne (Carlyle, IL/Carlyle) led off with a single and moved to second on a Drury error. A sacrifice bunt moved Boehne to third base before he scored on an RBI groundout by senior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West).
Ten batters came to the plate in the fourth inning for Drury in its five-run rally, which pushed its lead to 7-1. The teams traded runs in the sixth inning to close out the scoring. McKendree scored when Kossina led off the frame with an infield single, moved to second on a groundout and scored thanks to an RBI single off the bat of senior outfielder Steven Todoschuk (Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada/Saltfleet).
Freshman right-hander Jacob Renfrow (St. Louis, MO/Hancock) was nicked for the mound loss for McKendree. Renfrow gave up nine hits and six earned runs over 3 2/3 innings of work.
After a scoreless first three innings in game two, McKendree grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Junior third baseman Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) reached on an error to start the frame and senior catcher Kolton King (Marion, IL/Marion) followed with a single. A sacrifice bunt by freshman catcher Kyle Jackson (Hoffman, IL/Carlyle) moved the runners into scoring position, and Kline scored when junior infielder Jason Hobson (Griggsville, IL/Griggsville-Perry) reached on an RBI fielder's choice.
The Panthers tied the game in the bottom of the fourth before adding another tally in the fifth to take a 2-1 lead. Drury then exploded for eight runs in the eighth inning to pull away from the Bearcats.
Senior right-hander Cole Wille (Maryville, IL/Collinsville) pitched into the eighth inning and was charged with the loss for McKendree. Wille scattered six hits with one earned run allowed. He did not walk a batter and fanned two.
