GAME DAY LINKS --
McKENDREE at MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE
Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018 -- 1 p.m. (DH)
Monday, Feb. 19, 2018 -- Noon
WATCH LIVE (Mississippi College Broadcast)
LIVE STATS
McKENDREE FINAL 2017 STATISTICS
MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE SEASON STATISTICS

(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 17)--The McKendree University baseball team will open its 2018 season with a three-game series in Clinton, Miss., against Mississippi College. The Bearcats and Choctaws will play a doubleheader on Sunday before wrapping up the weather-delayed series with a single contest on Monday. 

The Bearcats posted a 13-34 overall record in Danny Jackson's first year as head coach. Jackson and his staff have added nearly 30 newcomers to the list of returnees that includes four returning starters from the 2017 squad. Optimism is high in the Bearcats' camp heading into the 2018 campaign.

"We have had a very busy and competitive fall and pre-season," said Jackson. "Every has pushed one another, and we see good things every time we step onto the field. We cannot wait to see what the new season holds for our program."

The three-game weekend series at Mississippi College begins a run of 11 consecutive road games to open the 2018 campaign. McKendree will have a pair of four-game series at Maryville University and at Quincy University before stepping onto the turf at Hypes Field for the first time on March 7 against the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE
The Choctaws are 4-1 this season after beginning the year by winning two of three at home against Lindenwood University before sweeping a twinbill against Missouri S&T in their last game action on Feb. 9. Kyle Smith is 11-for-20 on the young season (.550) with eight runs batted in to lead an attack that is hitting .307 as a team. Hunter Sykes (.389) and Ty Alderman (.385) have also helped set the table in the first two weeks for Mississippi College. 

On the mound, the Choctaws are led by Brandon Kennedy (1-0, 1.35 ERA, 6 K's) and Chris Crosby (1-0, 1.42 ERA). Hunter Mullis has struck out a team-high 11 batters in just 8 2/3 innings of work.