Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., March 25)—The McKendree University baseball team kicked off a seven-game home stand Tuesday with a 4-1 loss to Maryville University at Hypes Field.
The Bearcats led 1-0 after six innings of play, but the visiting Saints rallied for three runs in the seventh inning and added an insurance tally in the eighth to pull away for the non-conference victory. McKendree slips to 5-10 overall and will host the University of Southern Indiana in a four-game Great Lakes Valley Conference series Saturday and Sunday in Lebanon. First pitch for both doubleheaders is set for noon each day.
Senior right-hander Ben Dallesasse (DeKalb, IL/DeKalb) allowed just three hits over five innings in his first start of the season. Freshman lefty Mitchell Langenhorst (Germantown, IL/Mater Dei) did not give up a hit in his one-plus innings of work, but he walked four and allowed two earned runs in picking up the loss on the mound for McKendree.
The Bearcats plated their only run of the day in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Freshman outfielder Jay Roberts (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield North) led off with a walk. Senior catcher Tyler Collins (Marietta, GA/Walker) attempted to move Roberts to second base with a bunt, but a throwing error enabled Roberts to advance safely into scoring position. After senior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position, junior outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) delivered Roberts with an RBI infield single.
McKendree held its 1-0 lead into the top of the seventh inning, when the Saints scored three times on just one hit to grab a 3-1 advantage. Maryville plated a run in the top of the eighth to close out the scoring.
Meanwhile, Maryville right-hander Robbie Gordon was able to shut down McKendree over the final six innings to post the win for the Saints. Gordon allowed just four hits and struck out 10 in his 138-pitch, complete-game effort.
The teams have split the first two games of their season series in 2014. McKendree rallied for a 5-4 win over Maryville in the first meeting back on March 11 at Hypes Field. The Bearcats and Saints will square off for the third and final time on April 30 in St. Louis.
