Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (EVANSVILLE, Ind., April 24)—The McKendree University baseball team was defeated twice on Friday in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at the University of Southern Indiana. The host Screaming Eagles rolled to a 3-0 victory in the opener before rallying to capture a 7-6 win in eight innings in game two.
 
McKendree is now 9-32 overall and moves to 8-22 in GLVC play. The Bearcats and Screaming Eagles are scheduled to wrap up their weekend series Saturday with another twinbill set for a 2 p.m. start.
 
Senior third baseman Jake Kline (Carol Stream, IL/Glenbard North) had two hits in each game to lead the offensive surge for McKendree. Sophomore catcher Kyle Jackson (Hoffman, IL/Carlyle) added three hits on the day, driving in a pair of runs in the nightcap. Freshman outfielder Brad Groleau (Peru, IL/St. Bede Academy) chipped in with three hits in the second game.
 
In game one, McKendree held an 8-7 edge in hits, but Southern Indiana starter Ben Wright was able to hold the Bearcats in check to collect the shutout. Wright did not walk a batter and struck out five while throwing 120 pitches. The Screaming Eagles scratched out a run in the third inning before adding a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning.
 
Sophomore right-hander Jacob Renfrow (St. Louis, MO/Hancock) pitched well in defeat for McKendree. Renfrow allowed just two earned runs on six hits over seven innings. He walked one batter and fanned five in the effort.
 
McKendree bounced back with a strong start in game two. The Bearcats scored a run in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Groleau led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out and took third base thanks to a wild pitch. Senior outfielder Kyle Rutledge (Bloomington, IL/Normal) then plated Groleau with an RBI ground out to stake McKendree to the early advantage.
 
In the top of the fourth inning, McKendree added three runs to extend its lead to 4-0. Sophomore first baseman Zach Klockowski (Tinley Park, IL/Andrew) reached on a one-out single, and Kline followed with a base hit. Two batters later, Jackson delivered an RBI single to score Klockowski. Junior outfielder John Tolliver (Salem, IL/Salem) stepped up next and produced a run-scoring single to bring home junior catcher Connor Davault (Farmington, MO/Farmington). Jackson later scored on a wild pitch to give the Bearcats their four-run lead.
 
The advantage was short-lived as Southern Indiana (19-19, 15-15 GLVC) scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the contest at 4-4. The Screaming Eagles followed with a two-run fifth inning to grab a 6-4 lead. McKendree responded with two runs in the sixth inning to knot the game once again at 6-6. Kline opened the frame with a single and reached third base following a USI error. Jackson drove home Kline with an RBI ground out before Tolliver added another run-scoring ground out that tied the game at 6-6.
 
The game moved to extra innings where Southern Indiana pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was the third extra-inning contest of the season for McKendree.
 
Junior left-hander Sam Lidisky (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) scattered 10 hits and six earned runs over 4 1/3 innings in the start on the mound for McKendree. Junior lefty Josh Tonozzi (Mark, IL/Putnam County) was charged with the loss, giving up one run on four hits over 2 2/3 innings of relief work.