Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (RENSSALAER, Ind., April 19)—The McKendree University baseball team played in its fifth extra-inning game of the 2014 season during the Bearcats' doubleheader split at Saint Joseph's College. McKendree was edged in 11 innings in the opener before holding on to post a 7-6 win in game two.
 
McKendree moves to 13-24 overall and 9-19 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play by winning one of two games on Saturday. The Bearcats will head to St. Louis on Wednesday for a non-conference twinbill at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
 
Junior first baseman Jeff Tolliver (Salem, IL/Salem) provided plenty of offensive firepower for McKendree during Saturday's contests. Tolliver had two hits in the opener, including a solo home run, while he had the key hit in the nightcap with a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning.
 
Freshman right-hander Jacob Renfrow (St. Louis, MO/Hancock) pitched into the seventh inning of game to in earning his third victory of the year. Renfrow scattered 11 hits and gave up two earned runs with a walk and three strikeouts.
 
The majority of the offense in game one came in the first inning. McKendree struck first thanks to a two-out rally as junior third baseman Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) singled and freshman infielder Zach Klockowski (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) followed with an RBI double. Saint Joseph's answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to grab a 2-1 advantage.
 
Tolliver tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning when he blasted a solo home run to left field with one out. The score stood until the bottom of the 11^th inning, when the Pumas loaded the bases with two outs and forced home the winning run on a walk.
 
Kline finished the game with three hits while Tolliver and Klockowski each added a pair of safeties. Senior right-hander Cole Wille (Maryville, IL/Collinsville) pitched 3 1/3 innings of solid relief for the Bearcats but took the hard-luck loss. Wille allowed just two hits with a strikeout in the effort.
 
In game two, Saint Joseph's (17-24, 12-16 GLVC) scratched out a run in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Bearcats rallied to score three times in the third inning to build a 3-1 advantage. Freshman catcher Nathan Micklautz (Louisville, IL/North Clay) reached on an error to start the uprising, moved to second on a bunt and scored on an RBI single from senior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West). Later in the inning, Kline pushed the Bearcats out in front when he reached on a fielder's choice to score Kossina. Kline then stole second base and came around to score when junior outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) had a run-scoring infield single to cap the rally.
 
McKendree then sent nine batters to the plate in scoring four runs in the fifth inning to stretch its lead to 7-1. After the first two Bearcats were retired in the inning, senior outfielder Steven Todoschuk (Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada/Saltfleet) singled and Kline followed with a base hit. Rutledge walked before Tolliver cleared the bases with a three-run double to build the McKendree lead to 6-1. Two batters later, freshman outfielder Grant Anderson (Mackinaw, IL/Deer Creek-Mackinaw) closed out the scoring with an RBI single to plate Tolliver.
 
The Pumas put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring five times to pull within 7-6. Sophomore right-hander Travis Blumhorst (Venedy, IL/Okawville) came on in relief to retire the final batter and preserve the win for the Bearcats.