(LEBANON, Ill., Apr. 1) – McKendree University baseball dropped both games of a series-closing twin bill against Bellarmine University Saturday afternoon at Hypes Field. Bellarmine squeezed past the Bearcats 4-3 in game one before taking game two 6-3.
The doubleheader loss gives McKendree an overall record of 8-18, while dropping to 0-8 in GLVC play.
Junior outfielder Brad Groleau (Peru, IL/St. Bede Academy) went 2-for-3 in game one, registering the Bearcats' only double, while senior infielder Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) and junior infielder Jeff Wetzler (Newburgh, IN/Castle) recorded RBI singles. Senior outfielder Ryan Cates (Anderson, IN/Yorktown) stood out at the plate in the nightcap going 2-for-5 with a RBI double.
In the opener, Bellarmine (18-10, 6-2 GLVC) got on the board early with a solo shot over the left field wall in the second. McKendree responded in their half of the second as Luke Johnson (Barrington, IL/Barrington) led off with a single. Chris Deaville (Rantoul, IL/Rantoul) drove in Johnson following a hard ground out to second. Andrew Aydt (Wildwood, MO/Eureka) gave the Bearcats a 2-1 lead, scoring on a Jeff Wetzler (Newburgh, IN/Castle) single up the middle.
Bellarmine answered with a rally of their own in the top of the fourth. Following a double and a single to begin the inning, right-handed starter Terry Deaville (Rantoul, IL/Rantoul) surrendered a three-run long ball to right field giving the Knights a 4-2 lead.
The Bearcats tacked on one more in the bottom of the sixth. Groleau's lead-off double allowed Fisher to drive in the Bearcats' final run of the game in the 4-3 loss.
Offense continued to be the story in game two for the visiting Knights. After giving up a run in the third, McKendree jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning on back-to-back doubles to left by junior outfielder Hayden Bodine (Washington, IL/Washington) and Cates.
Bellarmine responded quickly, putting up a pair of runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a two-run lead.
In the sixth, senior infielder Matt Walsh (Wheaton, IL/Wheaton Warrenville South) cut the Bearcat deficit down to one with a RBI single up the middle.
The Knights cushioned their one run lead by extending it to three with a two-run home run to left field.
Comeback efforts by the Bearcats came up short in the final two innings by stranding a runner on base in each.
Senior southpaw Brad Henry (Godfrey, IL/Alton) suffered his fourth loss of the year in just three and two-third innings of work, while striking out four.
The Bearcats are back in action Tuesday, April 4 as they take on Maryville University in a non-conference single game matchup at Hypes Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
