(LEBANON, Ill., April 1)—The McKendree University baseball team dropped both ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Tuesday at home against the University of Illinois Springfield. The Prairie Stars pulled away late for a 6-3 win in the opener before rolling to a 10-0 decision in the nightcap.

The Bearcats drop to 7-14 overall and 3-11 in GLVC play following Tuesday's losses. McKendree will hit the road this weekend to continue conference play with a four-game series at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky. The Bearcats and Knights will play doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday with first pitch each day coming at noon ET.

Junior third baseman Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) posted four hits on the day to lead the offense for McKendree, including three hits in game one. Junior first baseman Jeff Tolliver (Salem, IL/Salem) belted his first home run of the year in the opener for the Bearcats.

Game one was scoreless until the bottom of the second inning, when Tolliver turned on a 1-1 pitch to hit a leadoff home run down the left-field line, giving McKendree a 1-0 advantage. The lead was short-lived as Illinois Springfield scored twice in the top of the third inning to grab a 2-1 lead. The Bearcats tied the game with a run in the bottom of the frame. Senior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) led off with a double, moved to third on a groundout and scored when senior outfielder Steven Todoschuk (Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada/Saltfleet) bounced out to second base.

The Prairie Stars regained the lead at 4-2 when McKendree struck with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull within a run. Freshman outfielder Grant Anderson (Mackinaw, IL/Deer Creek-Mackinaw) walked and stole second base. Anderson came around to score thanks to an RBI single off the bat of senior catcher Tyler Collins (Marietta, GA/Walker) to trim the deficit to 4-3.

That was as close as the Bearcats would get as Illinois Springfield added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings for insurance tallies.

Sophomore right-hander Matt Sax (Chicago, IL/Jones Prep), making his first start of the season for McKendree, was nicked for the loss. Sax allowed four runs on six hits over four innings with a walk and four strikeouts.

In game two, the McKendree offense was held in check by a trio of UIS pitchers. David Mead got the start and the win for the Prairie Stars, giving up four runs in his outing. Mead struck out seven, including five consecutive Bearcats in the second and third innings. Offensively, Illinois Springfield built an early 5-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and two more in the second.

Freshman lefty Brad Henry (Godfrey, IL/Alton) allowed five runs on seven hits in two innings in taking the game two loss on the mound for McKendree.