(LEBANON, Ill., March 15)—The McKendree University baseball team dropped both ends of a non-conference doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Hypes Field against Missouri S&T. The visiting Miners registered a 13-6 in the opener before rallying in its final at-bat to post a 4-2 win in game two.
 
McKendree slips to 4-13 on the season. The Bearcats and Miners will conclude their four-game series on Sunday with another doubleheader. First pitch is set for noon.
 
Junior infielder Andrew Aydt had a big day at the plate for McKendree on Thursday. Aydt produced five hits in the two games, including a three-hit performance in game one. Junior outfielders Levi Brening and Drew Reich each hit homers in the opener against the Miners.
 
In game one, Missouri S&T built a 6-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, thanks in part to a four-run second inning. In the bottom of the fourth, McKendree broke up the shutout when junior infielder Matt Klosterman opened the frame with a single and Brening deposited the next pitch over the center field fence for his fourth round-tripper of the year. The Miners answered with seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to stretch their advantage to 13-2.
 
The Bearcats scored twice in both the eighth and ninth innings to account for the final margin. In the eighth, Aydt ripped a two-run double to right field to get McKendree within 13-4. In the bottom of the ninth, senior infielder Jeff Wetzler led off with a double to right field before Reich blasted a two-run homer to right field to finish off the scoring.
 
In game two, Missouri S&T (8-9) plated a run in the top of the first to grab a 1-0 lead. The score stood until the bottom of the fourth inning, when McKendree put together a two-out rally to take its first lead of the day. Brening drew a walk to keep the inning alive, and Aydt followed with an RBI double off the right-field fence. The hit was the first of the contest for the Bearcats and knotted the score at 1-1. Reich came up next and brought home Aydt with another run-scoring double for a 2-1 McKendree advantage.
 
Freshman left-hander Jack Strieker helped the Bearcats maintain their 2-1 lead by pitching into the seventh inning. In the top of the seventh, Strieker allowed a one-out walk and subsequent double before being removed from the game. The Miners went on to score three times in the frame to take a 4-2 lead.
 
McKendree mounted one final rally in its final at-bat as a single by junior infielder Luke Johnson and a double off the bat of Wetzler put the tying runs in scoring position with one out. But Missouri S&T closer Luke Marcheschi recorded the final two outs to help the Miners complete the sweep.
 
Strieker was charged with the hard-luck loss, allowing two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings. He gave up three hits, walked three and struck out five batters.