(INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 8)—The McKendree University baseball team dropped both ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the University of Indianapolis. The Greyhounds – ranked No. 10 in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II poll – pulled away late to win the opener 8-3 before holding off the Bearcats in the nightcap, 4-1.
 
McKendree moves to 9-20 on the season and 0-10 in the GLVC. The Bearcats and Greyhounds will close out their four-game weekend series Sunday with another twinbill that is slated to begin at noon ET.
 
Senior infielder Cody Hall (Harrisburg, IL/Harrisburg) returned to the McKendree lineup and provided two hits and drove in a pair of runs on the day. Junior infielder Andrew Aydt (Wildwood, MO/Eureka) collected two hits in game two, while senior outfielder Brad Groleau (Peru, IL/St. Bede Academy) and junior infielder Jeff Wetzler (Newburgh, IN/Castle) also added RBIs against Indianapolis.
 
The host Greyhounds (22-9, 7-3 GLVC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of game one by pushing across a pair of unearned runs. UIndy then upped its lead to 4-0 with two more tallies in the bottom of the third inning. McKendree responded with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth inning to cut its deficit in half. Senior outfielder Ryan Cates (Anderson, IN/Yorktown) and senior infielder Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) started the uprising with singles before Groleau stepped in next and delivered a run-scoring single to plate Cates with the Bearcats' first run of the day. After Aydt was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Hall drew a walk to force home Fisher to bring McKendree within 4-2.
 
After the Greyhounds plated two runs in the sixth inning to regain a four-run advantage at 6-2, McKendree scratched out a run in the top of the seventh to get within 6-3. Aydt drew a leadoff walk and was replaced by senior outfielder Colton Calhoun (Mt. Zion, IL/Mt. Zion) as a pinch-runner. Calhoun reached third base following a single by Hall and came in to score on an RBI ground out by Wetzler. UIndy put the game out of reach with two more runs in the bottom of the eighth to account for the final margin.
 
Senior left-hander Brad Henry (Godfrey, IL/Alton) was charged with the game one loss on the mound. Henry allowed two earned runs on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings.
 
Game two featured a pitcher's duel between McKendree junior right-hander Nick Yung (Smithton, IL/Freeburg) and Indianapolis starter Jake Shaw. The Greyhounds plated runs in each of the first two innings before the Bearcats countered with its lone run in the top of the fifth inning to pull within 2-1. Aydt led off the frame with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Wetzler. Two batters later, Hall produced an RBI single to score Aydt to end Shaw's afternoon on the mound and slash the Bearcats' deficit in half.
 
UIndy then mounted a rally of its own in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring twice to knock Yung out of the contest and stretch its lead to 4-1. McKendree then put together its best chance to tie the game in the sixth inning, getting the tying run to the plate. However, the Greyhounds were able to shut the door and hold off the Bearcats to complete the sweep.
 
Yung gave up just three hits over 4 2/3 innings of work, allowing two earned runs with three walks and two strikeouts. The hard-luck loss dropped Yung's record to 3-2 on the season.