(LEBANON, Ill., March 14)—The McKendree University baseball team split a Monday afternoon doubleheader at Hypes Field against Robert Morris University. The Bearcats earned a 3-2, 10-inning victory in the opener before dropping a 7-2 decision in game two.
McKendree moves to 4-11 on the season with its twinbill split. The Bearcats will return to action Tuesday at home by hosting Maryville University in a nine-inning contest at Hypes Field. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
Junior infielder
Tyson Boehne (Carlyle, IL/Carlyle) collected four hits in game one, including the bases-loaded, walk-off single in the bottom of the 10
th inning that completed the Bearcats' rally from a 2-0 deficit. Junior catcher
Chris Deaville (Rantoul, IL/Rantoul) added three hits in the opener, while freshman infielder
Luke Johnson (Barrington, IL/Barrington) and junior outfielder
Colton Calhoun (Mt. Zion, IL/Mt. Zion) each posted two hits against the Eagles. McKendree had a 16-7 advantage in hits in Monday's opener.
In the nightcap, junior outfielder
Jay Roberts (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield North) made the most of his first appearance of the season by going 3-for-3 at the plate. Junior first baseman
Keith Rogers (Marshall, IL/Marshall) and freshman first baseman
Joe LaCivita (Downers Grove, IL/Downers Grove South) each drove in a run during a seventh-inning rally for the Bearcats.
Robert Morris (6-5) clawed its way to a 2-0 lead in game one with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings of the nine-inning contest. McKendree needed just three pitches in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Rogers belted the first pitch of the frame deep over the right-field fence for his fourth home run of the year, trimming the Bearcats' deficit to 2-1. Two pitches later, sophomore outfielder
Brad Groleau (Peru, IL/St. Bede Academy) ripped another home run to nearly the exact same spot at Rogers' round-tripper. McKendree proceeded to load the bases in the bottom of the eighth but could not plate the go-ahead run.
Junior outfielder
Ryan Cates (Anderson, IN/Yorktown) started the Bearcats' game-winning rally in the bottom of the 10
th inning with a bunt single. After a Robert Morris pitching change, junior outfielder
Colton Calhoun (Mt. Zion, IL/Mt. Zion) dropped in a single to center field. Cates drew a throw as he raced around to third base, allowing Calhoun to advance to second base. Deaville was then walked intentionally to load the bases.
Boehne stepped in next and lofted his game-winning single into right field to score Cates with the winning run. It was McKendree's first extra-inning game of the 2016 season, and marked the Bearcats' first extra-inning win since a 4-3 triumph at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on May 3, 2014.
Senior left-hander
Sam Lidisky (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic) pitched the first seven innings for McKendree, giving up two earned runs on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Junior right-hander
Matt Henning (Wichita, KS/Bishop Carroll) tossed the final two innings, allowing just one hit in grabbing his first win with the Bearcats.
Game two was scoreless until the fourth inning, when Robert Morris broke through with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. The Eagles tacked on five more runs in the sixth inning and took its 7-0 lead into its last at-bat in the seventh inning. LaCivita came up as a pinch-hitter with one out in the bottom of the inning and lifted an 0-2 pitch over the left-field fence for his first collegiate home run. The round-tripper also broke up the Eagles' shutout bid.
Roberts and Johnson kept the Bearcats' chances alive with consecutive two-out singles. Senior catcher
Connor Davault (Farmington, MO/Farmington) drew a walk to load the bases before Rogers delivered an RBI single to right field to score Roberts and cut the McKendree deficit to five runs. The Eagles were able to record the final out with the potential tying run in the on-deck circle to gain the split on the day.
Sophomore right-hander
Nick Yung (Smithton, IL/Freeburg) was charged with the game two loss, giving up two earned runs on four hits in five innings of work. Yung walked five batters and fanned four.
