GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE vs. WILLIAM JEWELL -- Friday, March 10, 2017 (DH), Noon
Hypes Field -- Lebanon, Ill.
WATCH LIVE (Bearcat Sports Network)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
WILLIAM JEWELL SEASON STATISTICS
(LEBANON, Ill., March 9)--Mother Nature has altered the weekend plans for the McKendree University baseball team this weekend as the Bearcats will host William Jewell College in an abbreviated two-game series. The teams will meet in a non-conference doubleheader Friday with first pitch set for noon at Hypes Field. Fans unable to attend the contests can watch the games live on the Bearcat Sports Network at
www.glvcsn.com/mckendree.
McKendree and WIlliam Jewell were originally slated to play a three-game series, with single games set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. But the updated weather forecast for the greater St. Louis area -- that includes the potential for measurable snowfall on Saturday -- dictated the change to a shortened two-game set.
Last Saturday and Sunday, McKendree opened its home slate by splitting a four-game series against Hillsdale College. The Bearcats won the first game each day before the Chargers bounced back to take the nightcap. McKendree brings a 3-8 overall record into its Friday doubleheader versus William Jewell. Outfielders
Brad Groleau (Peru, IL/St. Bede Academy) and
Hayden Bodine (Washington, IL/Washington) each had big weekends against Hillsdale. Groleau hit .538 (7-for-13) with a pair of home runs in the Saturday twin bill. Bodine batted .400 in those contests while driving in seven runs on the weekend. Both players sit at the top of the Bearcats' stat sheet as Groleau tops the squad with a .350 batting average, while Bodine is close behind at .348. Groleau has driven in a team-leading nine runs, while Bodine is next with eight RBI.
On the mound, veterans
Matt Henning (Wichita, KS/Bishop Carroll) and
Nick Yung (Smithton, IL/Freeburg) picked up victories for McKendree, while
Matt Wasche (Kansas City, MO/Rockhurst) earned the Bearcats' first save of the year in Sunday's opener.
William Jewell enters Friday's doubleheader at McKendree with a season record of 5-4. The Cardinals have won five of their last six outings, including two straight against Bemidji State University prior to their trip to Lebanon. Zach Sallfeld is hitting a team-best .444 with four runs batted in, while Dylan Christie checks in at .417 and Brad Jelinek is next at .385. Christie and Jelinek share team-high honors with eight RBI.
Zach Hutcherson has a 2-0 record to lead the William Jewell pitching staff. In three starts, Hutcherson has struck out 14 batters in 19 innings of work. Eric Smith has served as the Cardinals' closer in the early portion of the 2017 season, notching two saves in five appearances.
Following Friday's doubleheader, McKendree will have nearly a week off before heading to Kansas City to face Rockhurst University in a three-game series. The Bearcats and Hawks will meet in a doubleheader March 17 at 1 p.m. before closing out the series with a single game the following day at 1 p.m.
