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Box Score 2 (LEBANON, Ill., March 29)—The McKendree University baseball team earned a split of its Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday at Hypes Field against the University of Southern Indiana. After a decisive 14-0 loss in game one to the Screaming Eagles, the Bearcats rallied from a five-run deficit in the nightcap to post an 8-6 victory.
The split gives McKendree an overall record of 6-11 and a 2-8 mark in GLVC play. McKendree and Southern Indiana will wrap up a four-game GLVC series Sunday with another doubleheader in Lebanon. First pitch is set for noon.
Seniors Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) and Steven Todoschuk (Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada/Saltfleet) wielded the big bats for McKendree in the twinbill as each collected four hits on the day. Kossina rapped out three hits in the nightcap, including a pair of doubles. Todoschuk had two hits in each contest and blasted his first home run at McKendree, a solo shot over the right-field fence in the first inning of game two.
Junior third baseman Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) had two hits and drove in four runs in the come-from-behind win for McKendree.
Southern Indiana (14-6, 6-2 GLVC) rolled to the win in the opener, scoring four runs in the first inning and six more in the third to build a 10-0 cushion. The Screaming Eagles then tacked on three runs in the sixth and another in the seventh to close out the scoring. Offensively, Southern Indiana collected 16 hits to notch the win. On the mound, USI right-hander Ben Wright scattered seven hits over five innings to pick up the victory.
The Screaming Eagles jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning before Todoschuk tied the game with his solo blast in the bottom of the frame. Todoschuk took a 1-1 fastball and drove it high over the scoreboard in right field. Southern Indiana responded with a four-run outburst in the second inning and added a solo run in the top of the third to regain the lead at 6-1.
At that point, McKendree began its comeback. Kossina started a two-run rally for the Bearcats in the bottom of the third with a single. A walk to junior outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) and a single by Todoschuk loaded the bases with nobody out. Kline stepped up and delivered a two-run single to right field to score Kossina and Rutledge, bringing the Bearcats within 6-3.
McKendree then tied the game at 6-6 with three runs in the fourth inning. Freshman outfielder Grant Anderson (Mackinaw, IL/Deer Creek-Mackinaw) opened the frame with a single. Freshman catcher Kyle Jackson (Hoffman, IL/Carlyle) reached on a fielder's choice and scored when Kossina belted an RBI double down the left-field line to trim the Bearcats' deficit to 6-4. Kossina moved to third and eventually scored on two separate wild pitches to bring McKendree within a run at 6-5.
With two outs, freshman infielder Zach Klockowski (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) came through with the game-tying hit, an RBI double to left-center field to plate Rutledge, who reached earlier in the inning on walk.
The Bearcats completed the comeback with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. After the first two batters were retired in the frame, Kossina started the rally with his second straight double. Rutledge then drew a walk, and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Todoschuk was walked intentionally to load the bases and bring Kline to the plate. On a full count, Kline bounced a ground ball into the hole between shortstop and third base. Kline reached safely while Kossina scored and Rutledge – who was running with the pitch – came all the way around from second base for the rare two-run infield single.
From there, sophomore left-hander Sam Lidisky (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) shut down the Screaming Eagles to notch the victory in relief on the making. Making his first relief appearance of the year, Lidisky tossed the final five innings, giving up just one run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
