(CLINTON, Miss., Feb. 18)—The McKendree University baseball team kicked off its 2018 season with a pair of non-conference losses Sunday afternoon at Mississippi College. The host Choctaws edged the Bearcats 4-2 in the opener before grabbing a 12-3 decision in game two.
 
McKendree and Mississippi College will wrap up their three-game series Monday afternoon with a single game set for a first pitch at noon.
 
In game one Mississippi College jumped out to a 4-0 lead with three runs in the second inning and another in the third. McKendree got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning, when freshman catcher Austin Francis blasted his first collegiate home run, a solo shot to left field, to get the Bearcats within 4-1.
 
The Choctaws carried the three-run advantage into the top of the ninth inning, when McKendree mounted a comeback bid. Senior infielder Jeff Wetzler was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. Junior outfielder Corey Chambliss followed with a double to left-center field, moving Wetzler to third base. After a Mississippi College pitching change, junior infielder Luke Johnson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Junior outfielder Levi Brening then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Wetzler and cut the McKendree deficit to 4-2.
 
Senior outfielder Grant Anderson drew another McKendree walk to load the bases once again. Senior infielder Andrew Aydt stepped in and ripped a line drive that was caught by the Choctaws' second baseman and turned into a game-ending double play to thwart the Bearcats' rally.
 
Senior right-hander Nick Yung drew his first career opening-day start for McKendree and was nicked for the loss on the mound. In five innings of work, Yung allowed four earned runs and five hits with a strikeout. Freshman right-hander Connor Gilles shut down Mississippi College in his three innings of relief work.
 
Mississippi College (6-1) scored seven runs in the first two innings of the nightcap and built a 10-0 lead before McKendree plated all three of its runs in the sixth inning. Freshman infielder Matt Klosterman started things with a single. Two batters later, freshman Steven Nguyen delivered a pinch-hit single. Sophomore outfielder Blake Gray reached on a fielder's choice and moved Klosterman to third in the process. With two outs, junior outfielder scored Klosterman with an RBI single to get the Bearcats on the scoreboard.
 
Francis stepped in next and ripped a two-run double down the left-field line to cap the Bearcats' rally and cut the deficit to 10-3. The Choctaws closed out the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to finish off the sweep.
 
Freshman Jack Strieker made the game two start for McKendree and was charged with the loss, allowing five earned runs over two innings.