(LEBANON, Ill., March 4)—The McKendree University baseball team kicked off the home portion of its 2017 schedule Saturday afternoon by splitting a non-conference doubleheader at Hypes Field against Hillsdale College. The Bearcats edged past the Chargers in the opener 7-5 before Hillsdale grabbed a 13-3 decision in the nightcap.
McKendree moves to 2-7 on the year and will wrap up its first weekend of the season at home by hosting Hillsdale again on Sunday in another twinbill. First pitch is set for noon.
Junior outfielder
Brad Groleau (Peru, IL/St. Bede Academy) wielded a big bat in Saturday's doubleheader for McKendree. Groleau collected six hits on the day, including a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to push the Bearcats in front to stay. He followed that with a 4-for-4 performance that included another homer in game two.
Junior outfielder
Hayden Bodine (Washington, IL/Washington) had two hits and drove in three runs in the Bearcats' game one victory, while senior infielder
Cody Hall (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg) chipped in with two hits and a pair of RBI in the opener for McKendree.
In game one, McKendree grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Senior infielder
Matt Walsh (Wheaton, IL/Wheaton Warrenville South) reached on a fielder's choice and moved to second base thanks to a single by Groleau. After Walsh was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a ground ball, Bodine stepped up and delivered a two-out, two-run double into the right-field corner to give the Bearcats an early two-run advantage.
Hillsdale (2-7) took its first lead of the day at 3-2 as Steven Ring belted the first of his three home runs of the day, a three-run shot to center field. McKendree responded by scoring three times in the bottom of the seventh to regain the lead at 5-3. The Bearcats put runners at the corners with one out when Bodine stepped in and produced a run-scoring single to plate pinch-runner
Colton Calhoun (Mt. Zion, IL/Mt. Zion) with the tying run. Two batters later, Hall gave McKendree a 5-3 cushion thanks to a two-out, two-run single to left field.
The Chargers used Ring's second round-tripper of the day, a two-run shot over the right-field wall, in the top of the eighth to knot the score once again at 5-5. Senior catcher
Chris Deaville (Rantoul, IL/Rantoul) led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to left field for McKendree. Groleau came up with two outs and belted his two-run blast to right field to give the Bearcats the lead for good.
Senior right-hander
Terry Deaville (Rantoul, IL/Rantoul) threw seven strong innings in the game one start for McKendree. Deaville allowed three earned runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Senior righty
Matt Henning (Wichita, KS/Bishop Carroll) tossed the final two innings for the Bearcats, collecting the win as he shut down the Chargers in the ninth inning.
In the nightcap, Hillsdale raced to a 5-0 lead by scoring three times in the second inning and two more in the third. Groleau got the Bearcats on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning when he ripped the first pitch of his at-bat over the net in right field to trim the deficit to 5-1. The Chargers answered with four more runs in the top of the fourth inning to stretch its advantage to 9-1.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, McKendree scratched out a pair of runs to pull within 9-3. Junior infielder
Jeff Wetzler (Newburgh, IN/Castle) drew a one-out walk before freshman outfielder
Blake Gray (Niceville, FL/Niceville) came up as a pinch-hitter and delivered a single. Two batters later, sophomore infielder
Luke Johnson (Barrington, IL/Barrington) rapped out a two-run single to score Wetzler and Gray. The Chargers closed out the scoring by plating two runs each in the fifth and seventh innings.
