Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., March 11)—The McKendree University baseball team opened the home portion of its 2015 schedule Wednesday afternoon with a 5-4 loss in 10 innings to Harris-Stowe State University.
 
The Bearcats led leads of 4-1 and 5-4 slip away late in the contest as the visiting Hornets plated three runs in the 10^th inning to take the lead for good. McKendree is now 1-6 overall and will kick off Great Lakes Valley Conference play Saturday at home with a doubleheader against the University of Missouri-St. Louis. First pitch is set for noon.
 
McKendree jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Junior John Tolliver (Salem, IL/Salem) started the rally with a one-out single. After moving to second base on a ground out, Tolliver advance to third on a wild pitch. Sophomore infielder Zach Klockowski (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) then brought home Tolliver with an RBI double to deep right field. Klockowski reached third on another Hornets' wild pitch and scored on an error to give the Bearcats' a two-run advantage.
 
Harris-Stowe (7-5) cut the Bearcats' lead in half with a run in the top of the sixth inning before McKendree regained its two-run lead in the bottom of the frame. Senior infielder Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) led off with a single and reached second base on a ground out. Kline eventually scored on a two-out single by junior infielder Adam Kunkel (Red Bud, IL/Red Bud) to stretch the Bearcats' lead back to 3-1.
 
McKendree tacked on another run in the seventh inning to push its margin to 4-1. Senior outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) drew a leadoff walk before junior catcher Connor Davault (Farmington, MO/Farmington) pushed a bunt down the third-base line for an infield single. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Rutledge raced home on another wild pitch to extend the McKendree lead to three runs. Harris-Stowe then rallied with a three-run outburst in the top of the eighth inning to knot the contest at 4-4.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, McKendree loaded the bases as freshman outfielder Brendan Madden (St. Louis, MO/Vianney) walked, Kunkel was hit by a pitch and Rutledge beat out a slow grounder to shortstop for an infield single. Davault then worked out a walk to force home Madden with the go-ahead run to push the Bearcats back in front at 5-4.
 
The lead was short-lived, however, as the Hornets tied the game in the top of the ninth, then sent tallied three runs in the top of the 10^th to grab an 8-5 lead. McKendree did get the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 10^th, but Kline hit a sharp line drive to shortstop that was speared for the final out of the contest.
 
Tolliver, Klockowski and Madden all finished with two hits in the game for McKendree. Tolliver also earned his first start on the mound this season, allowing just two hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work. Senior right-hander Matt Sax (Chicago, IL/Jones Prep) was charged with the loss for the Bearcats, giving up three earned runs in two-thirds of an inning.