(SOMERS, Wis., May 7)—The McKendree University baseball team was swept in a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon on the road by the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The host Rangers rolled to a 12-4 win in game one before pulling away late to grab an 8-0 decision in the nightcap.
McKendree is now 14-33 overall and 6-20 in the GLVC. The Bearcats and Rangers will close out their 2016 seasons Sunday when they meet again in another twinbill in Somers, Wis. First pitch is set for noon.
Freshman shortstop
Luke Johnson (Barrington, IL/Barrington) (pictured) rapped out three hits on the day for McKendree, including a pair in the opener. Junior first baseman
Keith Rogers (Marshall, IL/Marshall) and junior outfielder
Grant Anderson (Mackinaw, IL/Deer Creek-Mackinaw) each collected two hits and an RBI in the first contest for the Bearcats.
UW-Parkside (11-30, 6-18 GLVC) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning of game one before McKendree was able to cut its deficit in half in the third inning. Johnson started the two-out rally with single to left field and advanced to second when junior infielder
Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) was hit by a pitch. Rogers brought Johnson around to score thanks to a run-scoring single to help the Bearcats trim the deficit to 2-1.
McKendree tied the game at 2-2 by plating a run in the top of the fourth. Anderson and junior outfielder
Jay Roberts (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield North) opened the frame with back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by junior catcher
Chris Deaville (Rantoul, IL/Rantoul). Anderson scored on a sacrifice fly by senior infielder
Adam Kunkel (Red Bud, IL/Red Bud).
The Rangers took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to build a 5-2 advantage. UW-Parkside then tacked on six runs in the sixth inning and another tally in the seventh to stretch its margin to 12-2. McKendree responded with a pair of runs in the eighth inning to close out the game one scoring. Anderson drove in a run with an RBI groundout, and junior outfielder
Austin Schwarm (Farina, IL/South Central) brought home the Bearcats' final run thanks to a run-scoring double.
In game two, the teams were locked in a scoreless tie until the bottom of the fourth inning, when UW-Parkside scratched out two runs to take a 2-0 lead. The Rangers then took control with its second six-run sixth inning of the day to finish off the sweep. UW-Parkside left-hander Mario Samuel tossed a complete-game five-hitter in the nightcap, walking one Bearcat and striking out three.
