(JOPLIN, Mo., Feb. 21)—Host Missouri Southern State University completed a three-game sweep of the McKendree University baseball team on Sunday with a 5-1 victory in Joplin, Mo.
 
The Bearcats slip to 0-3 on the young season. McKendree will have a few days off before heading east next weekend for a four-game series in Jefferson City, Tenn., against Carson-Newman University. The Bearcats and Eagles will play single games Friday and Sunday sandwiched around a non-conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon. Friday's first pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT.
 
Junior right-hander Matt Wasche (Kansas City, MO/Rockhurst) was effective in his first career start at McKendree despite being charged with Sunday's loss. Wasche went six innings against Missouri Southern, the No. 15-ranked team by Collegiate Baseball. He allowed four earned runs and scattered seven hits. Wasche walked two and struck out four Lions.
 
Missouri Southern (8-0) led from the start on Sunday, scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning. The Lions added another run in the fourth inning before McKendree scored its lone run of the contest in the sixth inning. Freshman infielder Luke Johnson (Barrington, IL/Barrington) singled to lead off the frame. Two batters later, junior outfielder Ryan Cates (Anderson, IN/Yorktown) belted an RBI triple to right-center field to score Johnson, cutting the Bearcats' deficit to 4-1. Missouri Southern added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to close out the scoring on the day.
 
Junior first baseman Keith Rogers (Marshall, IL/Marshall) had two of McKendree's six hits against the Lions. Junior infielders Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) and Tyson Boehne (Carlyle, IL/Carlyle) also collected hits in Sunday's outing.