(ST. LOUIS, Mo., April 23)—The McKendree University baseball team was swept in both ends of a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The Bearcats were shut out on both contests by the Tritons, falling 3-0 in game one before being edged 1-0 in the nightcap.  

The two losses give the Bearcats an overall record of 14-25 on the season. McKendree is scheduled to open a four-game Great Lakes Valley Conference series Saturday at Hypes Field against Lewis University. The Bearcats and Flyers will play doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday with first pitch set for noon each day.

Senior right-hander Jon Trampe (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) pitched well despite taking the loss in game two for McKendree. Trampe allowed just one run on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts over his six innings of work. The host Tritons broke up a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with three consecutive one-out hits, including the go-ahead RBI double by Jake Beckwith.

McKendree rallied in the top of the seventh inning as freshman outfielder Grant Anderson (Mackinaw, IL/Deer Creek-Mackinaw) came on as a pinch-hitter and reached on a one-out single to right field. Junior first baseman Jeff Tolliver (Salem, IL/Salem) stepped up next and delivered a double to right-center field that moved Anderson to third base. UMSL then brought in closer Kyle Dermody, who retired the final two McKendree hitters to complete the sweep.  

In the opener, the teams battled to a scoreless tie through the first three innings before McKendree put together a rally in the top of the fourth. Junior outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) began the frame with a single to center field. Freshman infielder Zach Klockowski (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) then reached on an UMSL error, and Tolliver followed with another single to center to load the bases with no outs. However, the Tritons were able to escape the jam to keep the Bearcats off the scoreboard.

UMSL (21-17) responded by scoring the only three runs of the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning, with all three tallies coming with two outs. McKendree threatened in each of the final two innings, getting the tying run to the plate, but the Tritons were able to hold off the Bearcats to preserve the game one victory.

Tolliver and senior shortstop Tony Kossina (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) each had two hits as McKendree held a 6-5 edge in base hits in the opener. Freshman left-hander Mitchell Langehorst was charged with the loss, giving up three earned runs on three hits with six walks and four strikeouts over the first 3 2/3 innings.